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RESTORATION 



OE' Tilt 



ANCIENT BURYING-GROUND 

OF HARTFORD 



WIDENING OF GOLD STREET 



With Lists of Contributors to the General Fund and of 
Descendants who Contributed for the Preser- 
vation OF Family Monuments 



i;y Till 

Ruth Wvllys Chapter 
Daughters of the American Revolution 



PRINTKD AT HARTIORD, CONNECTICUT 
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REPORT 



Presented by the Regent to the Kuih Wvi.i.vs Chapter. 

I Printed by UiKinimous Vcite nl the Chapter.) 

Members of Rrni Wvi.i.vs Cii.m'Tek, Daughters of the American 
Revolution : 




N response to many rcciucsts for a story of the " Gold vStreet and Cemetery 
Work," I long since promised to give it in full, when the labor should be 
completed. Upon such completion, however, I found iny.self quite unable 
to fulfill my promise. Tired nen'es forbade any further thought or work 
upon the too interesting and exciting subject, and I was ordered to forget, for a 
time, the labors which had so engros.sed me. After two years of " total ab.stinence," 
however, I can indulge in reminiscences of those events connected with the great 
improvements, and I am happy to give you the long-delayed narrative. 

I will ask you to e.xcu.se the frequent use of the objectionable first pronoun. I 
tried to avoid it, but in so personal a statement the simple and direct method 
seemed, in many instances, preferable. 

On October t,i. i.Sg6, this Rutli Wyll\s Chaister, Daughters of the American 
Revolution, by unanimous vote decided to enter upon an undertaking to improve 
the ancient cemetery and save, if possible, the fa.st-decaying grave.stones. I 
appointed a cemetery committee, consisting of Mrs. William X. Pelton, Mrs. 
Francis Goodwin, Miss Mary K. Talcott, Mrs. J. h. Ilavemeyer, Mrs. Henrj' 
Ferguson, and at a later period Mrs. J. H. Cone was added. B>- v'ote of the 
Chapter this connnittee was authorized to do such work upon the .stones as seemed 
in their judgment desirable. The question of what to do, and how to do it, was 
a .seriously perplexing one. We had but .sixty dollars to spare from our treasury, 
and this did not furnish much of an outfit with which to accomplish a trans- 
formation in what was probably one of the most dilapidated though hi.storic and 
interesting cemeteries in the land. The idea of this improvement and restoration 
was not a new one to me. When, four years previous, I undertook the organi- 
zation of this Chapter, consenting to serve as Regent, it was for the purpose of 
aiding in such a work, which .seemed to me the ])atriotic duty of patriotic women. 
Of this matter I had conversed with Dr. Walker, and, on a more recent occasion, 
pledged him the supjiort of the Chapter whenever the labor .should be inaugurated. 

To enlist the symjiathies of the members of the Chajjter and turn their attention 
into the desired channels, I asked Dr. Walker to give his views regarding the 
ancient burying-ground, which resulted in that most \aluable pajier delivered 
before this body January 24, 1S95, and which was the first of that long .series of 
events which has since come to be recognized as the " Cemetery and Gold Street 
work," and which has accompli.shed the full redemption of our city's hi.storic burial- 
place. Dr. Walker wished that the Gold Street tenements might be abolished, but 
entertained little hope of such an occurrence, and in the various conversations I 
held with him later on the subject he e.xpressed the belief that such a po.ssibility 
had pa.ssed, the fatal blow having been received at a town meeting in 1890, when 



4 A'j;sroA'.-iT/oA- OF rill-: asciiint rurying-cround 

Hartford's citizens voted against such a measure. In his paper Dr. Walker gave 
fully the history of the old cemetery, and in conclusion said: "And now what 
ought to he done ? What ought to be accomplished is the perpetual sanctification 
of what is left of the ancient ground, and its opening to the better access, not of 
human apiiroach alone, but of sunshine and air, and its proper adornment as an 
attractive and ornamental sjk)! in the center of our cit\ . The very least which can 
be aimed at is such a result as was proposed by Judge Adams's resolution, ' o\er- 
whclmingly rejected' in town meeting, 1890, viz.: A removal of the Gold Street 
buildings on the south side of the burying-ground — themsehes a disgrace to the 
vicinity and a .source of offense to the locality upon which, from the windows, old 




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shoes, tin cans, and excremental filth are often thrown — and the grading down to a 
sweet and pleasant sward of the sjiace thus opened to air and .sunshine and 
observation. This would be a great point gained, but a larger and better scheme 
.still would be the removal of all the buildings on the north side of Gold Street 
through to Wells Street. Can nothing be done ? Is there not jmblic .spirit enough 
in Hartford in some way to acconijilish this result in honor of the fathers whose 
graves lie so dishonored close to our verj- doors? If impossible to .secure appro- 
priations from the city, does nol the voice 0/ duly call upon individuals to accomplish 
such a work ? ' ' 

In the summer of 1S96, Dr. Walker suffered a paralytic .stroke from which he 
never recovered. Not only was one side of his body stricken, but his noble powers 



AN/^ Tiir: winr.xixa of coi.n striiet. 



of speech were silenced during the few reniaininj; years of his life. This calamity 
seemed to nie a necessary conclusion of any project for the widening of Gold Street, 
and I accepted the disappointment of my hopes as best I might, feeling soreh' that 
God's dispens.'itions come often in most mysterious forms, and that truly " Man 
proposes, but God dis]K)ses," and with this disposition of my object in holding the 
honored position of Regent, and believing firmly in rotation of office, I engaged 
my thoughts upon a method of office-holding in our Chapter, and formulated our 
present s>steni of rotation, w'hich has resulted so fa\'orabl>- as to become adopted 
elsewhere to quite an extent. I presented my resignation to your Nominating 
Committee, and great was my surprise and con.sternation when I learned that jt 
was not accepted. Through courtes\- to the valued chairman of that Committee, 
Mrs. Nathaniel vShipman, I reluctantly consented to give the matter further con- 
sideration, firmly resohed, however, to adhere to my original decision ; but in 
spite of such resoluli<ins, that " \oice of dut\- " invoked by Dr. Walker began its 
sunnnons. I was unable to silence it, to hide from it, or in any way e.scajie this 
phantom despot. The words " the work must be done, — you mn.st do it," followed 
me relentlesslj-. One day, bleak and windy, I stood in that silent church->ard 
whither the voice had led me : a scene of desolation indeed, with the crumbling 
memorials about me : each wail of the 
sighing wind shook the branches of the 
aged trees and seemed to m>- excited 
nerves whispers of reproach, and in 
mournful cadence I heard the voices of 
many asking " ivhy I waited." But .still 
I resisted — a very coward's spirit within 
said, " No. no, I cannot ; let me help 
others, but ask me not to lead." Sud- 
denly, as an echo from my girlhood, came 
tones I had heard on that ven' sjiot, 
when, a bride and a .stranger in Hart- 
ford, the land of my ancestors, my father 
had taken me to that sacred enclosure ; 
had pointed out the family names on the 
central monument, of which there were 
many, and in eloquent words told me of 
that band of Puritans who had wrought 
deeds of momentous value to the world, 
and to whom we owed a measureless debt 
of gratitude, and with extreme sadness 
spoke of the dishonor and neglect into 
which this sacred ground had fallen. 

Again I heard that beloved \'oice — one 
I had never dis()l)e\ed — and as I listened 

once again to the dear, authoritativt tones — so long a time now .silent, — the habit 
of obedience was strong enough to prompt instant submission. I rebelled no 
lotiger against the "voice of duty," but then and there consecrated my everj^ 
power to the work of redemption. 

It has been truly a labor of love, and in my own mind an affectionate memorial 
to an honored fitlicr, and the glad fulfillment of what I believed would be his wish. 




6 R/;STORATION OF THE ANClliNT BL'RYING-G ROUND 

With Mrs. Peltoii, the very able chairman of the Cemeten- Committee, I visited 
the cemeter\- iniraediately after the vote passed on October 31, 1896, and inspected 
the situation. Dubious, trul>-, was the outlook. The stones had suffered most 
.serious decay, and in uii.steady fashion leaned this way and that. Owing, probably, 
to the extreme dampness of the situation, the\- had become disintegrated to an 
unusual degree, and the overhanging branches of many large and aged trees not 
only excluded the saving quality of the sunlight, but, too old and tender to resist a 
powerful wind, were a constant menace to the very existence of the fragile monu- 
ments beneath, a single blow from a falling branch being sufficient to crush them 
into fragments. Our first thought had been of lead caps placed on the stones to 
protect them from the insidious inroads of dampness ; the.se were used in .Salem 
and other places, but we were assured by Mr. Stephen Masleu that they would be 
useless in this particular location. 

There had been for years an "Ancient Cemetery A.ssociation," of which Mr. 
John C. Parsons was president. He was greatly interested in this old ground, and 
through his personal labor, money had been raised, and under his supervision the 
grass and the many walks were kept in good condition, and the borders neatly 
trimmed ; but neither he, nor his Association, had any power to control the Gold 
Street tenements, and moral as well as material filth desecrated the very atmosphere. 
I felt keenly that a little work from us would be but temporizing with destructive 
forces, and only labor lost. To accom])lish anything sali.sfactory, the W(.)rk must 
be heroic ; we must arouse a powerful interest on the tide of which money would 
pour in, and the buildings on Gold Street be swept out of sight. Then we could 
create a real redemption, secure a fine avenue on which, mo.st honorably placed, 
should be that old burjing-ground. Conspicuous in the very center of the 
city's busy life, it would become an object lesson to our youth of the qualities 
we would ha\-e them respect, admire, and emulate. It would accentuate, surely, 
the very highest types of Americanism, and it seemed to me particularly appro- 
priate for a band of earnest, patriotic women, organized for the promotion of true 
patriotism, to undertake this work and bring into view a spot full of noble sugges- 
tions. Not alone would they thus revere the examples and traditions of the historic 
past, but secure to the present \er}- practical advantages in a nuich-needed thorough- 
fare from Main Street to the west. ( I will here say that not until Jewell Street is 
widened can the full measure of this improvement be realized.) Some years 
previous an effort had been made to widen Gold Street to a forty-foot avenue, 
leaving a forty-foot building lot between the northern line and the church (the 
space from the City Hotel to the church edifice being eighty feet). A committee 
was appointed, of which Hon. Leverett Brainard, then Ma>or of our city, was 
chairman. Drawings of the proposed layout were made, and considerable interest 
exhibited. It was, however, " overwhelmingly rejected " at a town meeting, 1S90. 
The reason given me was that the citizens of Hartford objected to being taxed for 
a measure which should so ver\- greatly increase the value of property on the 
south .side of Gold Street. When I innocently inquired why the owners could 
not be taxed more in proportion, I was good-naturedly laughed at, but a 
train of thought was started which in time worked out a practical and effective 
plan. As Mrs. Pelton and I stood upon that dreary spot, well-nigh discouraged, 
a picture rose before me. It was one I had before dimly contemplated — one of 
almost miraculous change in that yard, so rich in historic quality, so .sacred with 
ties of kinship. A picture of purity and cleanliness, reverence and beautj' ; even 



n 



.AXD 77//: Wny-.XIXG OF (lOI.n STREET. 7 

the complete transfoniKitioii of this desecrated yard intu a clierished spot, the pride 
and glory of Hartford, and this picture was my inspiration ; through long months 
of work and weary waiting, I had but to draw the veil from before this lovely 
view, and hope and enthusiasm were rekindled and an impetus received for 
further labor. 

The amount of the appropriation of sixty dollars was that autumn spent in 
repairing a few stones and recutting or "sinking" inscriptions of some that were 
bareh- legible, and we had the satisfaction of feeling that we had made a beginning. 
But I had pledged my.self to a work much beyond such .simple outlines. The plan 
I fonned, and which seemed to me direct, very fair, comprehensive, and quite 
practicable, was this ; That the Chajiter should, as a patriotic work in connection 




Gold street, lookitii: E-ist. Cemetery Fence Presented by Mr. James J. Goodwin, of Hartford. 

See page 20. 

with the .saving and improving of Hartford's Ancient Bur>-ing-ground, raise a 
certain sum of money and present it to the city to aid in the widening of Gold Street 
by the demolition of certain buildings, the remainder of the cost (supposed then 
to be $6o,ooo) to be asse.ssed in fair division upon the property holders receiving 
benefits. I placed the gift at $20,000, which left a balance of $40,000. I later 
made the important di.scovery that the city owned the cemetery. It had been 
almo.st uni\-ersall\' but erroneously Ijelieved that this ground was the property of 
the Center Church. Here was involved an important discovery, for the city as a 
property holder could be asses.sed. 

It seemed to me that the city could hardly refuse a gift of $20,000, or neglect 
such an opportunity to convert a notoriously im.savory slum district in her very 



8 



R/:STOA'ATION OF TIIF. ASClllS'T BURYiyG.CROVND 



center into a clean, beautiful approach to Bushnell Park, an avenue much needed, 
and which, if carried on b\- the widening of Jewell Street and Ford Street, would 
create a spacious coiuiection between Main Street and the station and western 
sections greatly to be desired, to say nothing of at last honoring that "God's 
Acre" where slept the citv's fathers, men toward whom the entire country was 
turning its eyes in wonderment and admiration. Mere came the many descendants, 
as to a sacred shrine, perhaps, onl\- to find an obscure, decaying, forgotten yard, 
with a locked gate, at the end of an inconspicuous allej- : not a cordial welcome. 




u.iM Street. .March. !::• 



lUilUliii^s Dcniollshuil April, lU')'). 
liiM'aril jEtna Life Building. 



Looking l;asl from Lewis Street 



surely, from a city in whose charge was held this ancestral ground. Here, also, 
came the historical scholar, for as events of the past became anal>zed and their 
relations studied, it was conceded, as one historian states, that " among the sources 
of our constitutional life, the spring from which gushed the jnirest influence was 
opened by Thomas Hooker and his associates at Hartford." And he adds, " My 
imagination and my thought have long located this spring amid the ash-heaps and 
neglected surroundings of the old burj'ing-grouiid under the .shadow of the First 



./.\7) Tin: Hini-.MXCOI-GOl.nSIkEET. 9 

Chiircli." In Hartford was born American democracy, say Johnston and Fiske, 
and in this ground slept those statesmen who, as by inspiration, divined the needs 
of the future, and laid surely and wisely the foundations of our great Ke])uhlic. 

You will see that your Regent's plan involved the su])])()rt and co-operation of 
the Board of Street Commissioners. Also the ajjproviiig vote of the Board of 
Conunon Council. It also required the vital assistance of the press, for from the 
beginning, ijearing in mind the generous sums of money rai.sed for the Public 
Librar\- through the columns of the daih' papers, I planned to al.so raise the 
necessary funds through such avenues, and iwirr l>v persona/ solicita/ion. You 
will see that this was a policy that would .seem likely to commend itself to the 
general public. It appealed not only to the descendant whose ancestral lines 
bound him in sympathy to the old ground, but to the citizen also who was inter- 




VicH- of GoUl street biin.iiuc. i - kci « i,ic. i.i,.kiiu ^^^^l tp.m i.tn.i Life BuiUiinc. .Main Street, 
before the Putli Wyllys Ch.apter's Work of Restoration. 

e.sted in civic improvement — for vvhicli improvement no one was to be taxed. The 
city had .spoken unequivocally in "town meeting, iSgo, " and now the wishes of 
the citizens were met by a plan which placed much of the expen.se, officially, upon 
tho.se very property- holders who had been regarded with such suspicion as dispro- 
portionate l>eneficiaries. This plan involved such radical changes and was of 
such magnitude, as well as delicacy, bearing, alas, .so manj- chances of failure, 
that I felt I could iKjt bring it before you at that time, or ask your sanction of 
what would undoubtedly seem to many of you but the fanciful dream of an 
optimist, a vision of but rainbow tints and .stability. I had no right to ask you 
to join in a venture that from its very proportions would make failure the more 
ridiculous. So I decided to work alone for a while and alone bear what 



lO RESTORATION OF THE ANCIEST BLRYISG-GROUND 

opprobrium might result. The opening move was to submit my plan to some very 
wnsc men, and learn their estimate of its ])r()])riety and possibilities, and upon my 
first visit to the Rev. Francis Goodwin hung the de.stiny of the whole enterprise. 
A whisper of doubt or disapproval would have been final, but after disclosing, 
unreservedly , my plan and my hopes, I not only received his cordial apjiroval, but 
the verj- substantial evidence of his belief and favor in the shape of a ])ledge of 
$2,000, one each from his brother, Mr. James J. Goodwin, and him.self. As I was 
leaving, Mr. Goodwin added, " I had thought the pos.sibility of clearing out Gold 
Street forever passed. I believe no man could do it now, for the public would be 
suspicious of personal motives and gain ; but a body of women engaged upon 
patriotic work, with the widening of Gold Street an incident of their redemptive 
aspirations, with the whole design open as sunlight, can do it, in my ojiinion, if 
there is one to do a great deal of work. If your strength is equal to it, Mrs. Hol- 
combe, I believe this work can be accomplished on the lines you have laid out, 
but — I fear you do not realize what you are undertaking." As my strength at 
that particular moment .seemed mountains high, I suffered no fears in that direction, 
but was buo>ant with enthusiasm and anticipation. 

I next called upon Mr. John C. Parsons to learn his attitude and that of the 
First Church. Of his interest in the cemetery I was assured, but what he would 
think of a body of women assuming such re.sponsibilities was another matter which 
alarmed me con.siderably, and his ready sympathy and cordiality were welcome, 
indeed. I had hojied the church might be able to raise a certain sum, and when 
Mr. Parsons named that very amount, my courage and spirits took another great 
bound at his guarantee of $10,000. I then called upon ex-Mayor Brainard, chair- 
man of the previous committee to widen Gold .Street in 1.S90, to learn the exact 
history of the measure and fate of the committee, and if the work I was willing to 
assume, as Regent of the Chapter, would be acceptable to those who had already 
had it in hand. He was also delightfull\- cordial, and commended the plan, though 
thinking my idea of having the full eiglily feet at Main Street left an ojjcu space, 
a pretty sweeping tran.sfonnation, as a forty-foot street and a substantial building 
between it and the church was the height of the ambition of the committee of 1890. 
He laughingly remarked, " Well, \ou women ha\e a wholesale way of demolishing 
things when you go at them." The extreme kindness and encouragement of these 
three gentlemen gave me a confidence and courage most essential at that initiative 
period, and I now for the first time ventured to disclose mj- thoughts and hopes to 
my husband. I know, had my asjiiratioiis been earlier communicated, they would 
have received a prompt quietus, but he could not quite annul all my arguments, 
which bore the approval and encouragement of the three friends mentioned ; the 
strong bulwark of that pledge of $2,000, against which I ])laced myself securely^ 
strengthened my position immeasurably, and very soon he became equally inter- 
ested, and to his clear head and steady hand I am forever indebted. We, together, 
submitted the whole matter to Mr. Charles E. Gross, who.se sympathy and mo.st 
valuable co-operation were at once enlisted, and from that time on I was bles.sed 
with the counsels of these two able associates. Never, without such sujiport and 
guidance, could I have gone on in untried paths through the various difficulties 
that awaited me. I now became busily engaged upon learning various details^ 
such as who were the owners of the diiTerent pieces of property, would they sell, 
and at what prices. These, when .secured, amounted toS8o,ooo, in place of $60,000, 
which was the estimated cost, Dr. Walker told me, in 1890. I also visited the 



A.\J> run MIDENIXC OF COLD STKEET. II 

proposed beneficiaries to leani their views, and ascertain if they would not, in 
consideration of the full situation, accept the proposed assessments without protest. 

When I had my figures and facts well put together, I called upon the President 
of the Street Board, Mr. Charles H. Northam, and received from him also his full 
approval ; without his support and co-operation the plans could not have been 
carried out, so upon his attitude hung also vital ])ossil)ilities. ICach newspaper 
editor I visited, and received assurances of their cordial support in the coming 
campaign. You all know what jiowerful allies they proved to be, and it is not too 
much to say that without their assistance the work could never have been accom- 
plished. I spent my lime at this period visiting our leading men, whose wi.sdoni 
and conser\'atism were unquestioned. One of my most interesting experiences was 
a call upon Bishop Tierney, whose .sympathetic and kindly interest were expressed 
not alone in gracious words, but in a check of substantial import which readied me 
the following morning. From all these different gentlemen I received such unvarying 
kindness and aid that that experience forms a beautiful, glowing period of my life. 
I no longer kept the matter a secret ; my fondest expectations were discu.ssed 
freely with officers and members of the ChaiHer. Armed with that long roll of 
cardboard, on which was a diagram* of a new Gold Street, in place of the little 
alley (but fifteen feet wide at Main Streetj, and the perspective opening to the 
])ark, with the Soldiers' Arch sketched in as visible in direct line from the .-Etna 
IJfe Building, I became known as "the Gold Street woman," and all through 
the season of 1896-7, I was occupied in arousing that interest which was of vital 
importance to the cause of .saving the old cemetery. By the aid of the sketch 
mentioned, I endeavored to enable each listener to see for himself what was so 
plainly^ vi.sible to my mental vision. On the occasion of an interview with one of 
Hartford's most esteemed citizens (po.ssessed of a stolid temperament, however), 
he exclaimed, after listening most graciously to my descriptions, and in answer to 
my final question "if he could not see just how it would all look when the old 
buildings were gone — and this could be .so quickly accomplished," "Why, Mrs. 
Holcombe. you make me absolutely dizzy, trying to follow all your plans at once." 
This sounded very disappointing to my hopes, but in a few days his imagination 
nni.st have caught the main outlines of my picture, for he came to believe in it and 
supported my cau.se most loyally. 

A curious disappointment awaited the first success of ni)- desire to .see the old 
buildings gone, and to behold, without delay, that long perspective crowned with 
the Soldiers" Arch, and by a very "irony of Fate" I was doomed to wait months 
after the last brick of the Gold Street tenements had been removed before the 
" promised land " was revealed. The demolition of the buildings was consummated 
in the month of May, when the trees were in full leaf and so complete a screen 
did the foliage create that not a hint of the Soldiers' Arch could be discovered. 
I was a.sked, unceasingly, where it was — .sometimes as a laughing jest, oftener in 
seriousness which seemed to question the truth of my prophecy, and I felt, indeed, 
like a second Cassandra as I repeated my prophecies that later it would appear, 
when the leaves should disappear. Happy- day ! when in late October, after a sharp 
frost, a dashing, whirling wind came up and snatched from twig and branch the 
leaves in multitudes, and lo ! there against the brilliant western sky appeared at 
last the graceful outlines of our Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial, and away off on 

* This diagram was prepared in 1890, showing a forty-foot street directly in front of the .-Ktna Life Bnilding, 
and presented to nie as a possible aid in my campaign. 



12 



Rj:sTOk\ir/o.\ OF the .lxc/ext /hry/xg-ground 



Lord'sHill loomed \\\> the noble proportions of the High School. Can you wonder 
that with almost lumultuuus joy I pointed out to all that came my way, as I stood 
in front of the .Etna Buildings, the materialization of my dreams — the fulfillment 
of my prophecies? Cassandra's mantle, which had seemed to cling tenaciously to 
my unwillini;' shoulders, all summer, had, with the leaves, disappeared on the 
wings of the wind. 

In January, 1S97, I invited the following gentlemen to meet in conference at my 
house : Mr. Charles H. Xortham, President of the Street Board ; Mr. John C. 
Parsons, Chairman representing Committee of the Fir.sl Church ; Mr. Charles E. 
Gross, President of the Park Board ; Mr. Joseph Buths, member of the Street 
Board, and later Chairman of the Committee on Gold Street ; and Mr. John M. 
Holcombe of the Advisory Board of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter. After plans had 
been submitted and discussed, Mr. Parsons pledged $10,000 as a contribution to be 




View of Gold Street, lookinj; West from Main Street, sliowinj; Soliliers' ami Sailors' Memorial Aioli. 
as pictured in descriptions 18'>(.-7. 

counted on from the church. Mr. Northam said tome, "Now, Mrs. Holcombe, 
if your Chapter can raise the Sio.ooo, the deed is done." I .sprang to my feet, 
exclaiming joyfully, "Mr. Xortham, the deed then is done, for we will raise the 
510,000." 

I then appointed the following ladies for a Gold Street Committee : 

Mrs. Win. H. Palmer, .... 1054 Asyhini .\ venue 

Miss Mary I-rancis, . . . . .101 Klin Street 

Mrs. Clias. K. Gross, 840 Asylum .\ venue 

Miss Marj- K. Talcott, S15 Asylum .Avenue 

Mrs. Pierre S. Slarr, .... 1 79 Sigoumey Street 

Miss Mary Hartlett, -3' I''arininf;ton .\ venue 

Mrs. Samuel Colt, .... Annsmear 



A\n rm-: widening or cold street. 13 

Mrs. Oeorge Leon Walker, ... 46 Prospect Street 

Mrs. Francis f'lOOfKvin, . . 103 Woodland Street 

Mrs. Nathaniel Sliipnian, . 33 Charter Oak Place 

Mrs. I'Yancis H. Coolej-, 119 I'anninj^on .\ venue 

Mrs. Leverelt Krainard, . 135 Washinjiton Street 

Mrs. Morfjan (5. Bulkeley, . . 136 Washington Street 

Miss Mary Clark, . . . 6.S IVlain Street 

Mrs. Chas. W. Havenieyer, . 137 Washinjjiton Street 

Mrs. Wni. Haniersley, . . Saybrook, Conn. 

Miss Charlotte Jewell, . 140 Washington Street 

Miss Antoinette R. Phelps, .72 Washington Street 

Jlrs. Win. C. Skinner, . . .61 Woodland Street 

Mrs. Jacob L. (ireene, . .113 Woodland Street 

Mrs. Henry Kerguson, .123 Vernon .Street 

Mrs. Frank L. Howard, . . . 150 Collins Street 

Mrs. John C. Day, .... .\llyn House 

Mrs. John S. Camp, .... 1041 .-Vsylmn .\ venue 

Mrs. Franklin Whitniore. .1 Highland Street 

Miss Jidia B. Hurbank, . . 714 Asylum Avenue 

Mrs. Wm. N. Pelton, .... 792 Asylum .Avenue 

Mi.ss Mabel Wyllys Wainwright, n i V,\\\\ Street 

Mrs. H. R. .Mien, . . .122 Woodland Street 

Mrs. Walter C. I'axon, . . 29 Huntington Street 

.Several of these ladies fell imwilliiii; to serve 011 any active coniniittee, btit 
they were a.ssured no work was desired, only the value of their names and endorse- 
ment of the Regent's methods. It is rather interesting to recall that there 
occurred but two meetings of this committee, the first where a handsome sum of 
money was pledged to start the Chapter Fund '$1,700 being raised in a few 
moments), and another April 16, 1897, when, upon motion of Mrs. Charles E. 
Gross, it was unanimously voted to empower the Regent to act in all matters 
pertaining to the Gold Street work as seemed in her jtidgment advisable, and to 
sign the names of the committee to any document she deemed necessary. Such 
privilege and power proved of very great value, for there arose situations where 
speedy action was necessary, and such a mark of confidence from her co-workers 
was a .stimulant indeed. 

Ry the last of January, 1897, the preliminaries seemed complete, and with a 
glad heart the Regent submitted for yotir approval plans formulated by her, 
bearing the sanction of leading men, and relating much of her experience during 
the preceding three months. .She also asked your appro\ing vote upon an 
appeal, which, with the assistance of Mr. Gross and Mr. Holcombe, was read}- 
for presentation to the Common Council. Your unanimous and enthusiastic 
support inaugtirated a .sea.son of great activity. The appeal was sent to the 
Common Council that same evening. Monday, January 25, 1897. It was no 
strange or .startling situation which was thus presented, for most of the members 
had been seen and the matter clearly explai'ied. .So without delay it was passed 
on to the Board of Slr^et Comiiiis.sioner.s. It was as jiromptly taken tip by them, 
carefully examined, and returned to the Council with the recommeiidation that 
steps be taken to lay out a highway'. The Council voted to accept the recom- 
mendation of the .Street Board, ordered the nece.''ary legal publications, and 
referred it back to the Board of Street Commi.ssioners for the a.ssessment of 
"betterments and damages." A stib-committcc of the Street Board at once 
proceeded to an adjustment of this delicate and complicated matter. 



14 



RWiSTOA' AT/OX OF THE ANCl EXT BURY I S'CG ROUND 



While the appeal was thus being carried on through its various phases, a very 
general interest in the saving of the old cemetery and widening of Gold Street 
had lieen aroused. Editorials in the papers and various communications printed 
in their columns gave the work a great push and secured a nuich desired pul)licity, 
for the onerous task of finding descendants and enlisting their sympathies was 
soon to be undertaken in earnest. The weight of the influence of many prominent 
men so eagerly sought and enlisted during the preceding busy weeks by your 
Regent, together with the far-reaching enthusiasm of 220 nienihers of this Chapter, 
created a force that seemed to envelop the city and reach far out into the .State and 
country at large. V,\ April the time .seemed to have arrived for testing the i^lan 
to raise the desired funds, and I wrote an a])pe;il from the Chapter to the ])ublic. 




View of Gold Street. 18'>7. before the Work of Improvement. 

signed with the names of the Gold Street Committee, asking for the sum of §15,000, 
$10,000 to be given to the city to aid in the widening of Gold Street, and $5,000 
for cemetery improvements. Only pledges were asked for, as there would be no 
use for the Sio,ooo, if the plans for widening Gold .Street were not carried out. 
This appeal was printed in each of the daily pajicrs, Saturday, April 17, 1.S97, the 
day preceding Easter-day. From some pulpits, the following morning, clergymen 
spoke valued words of commendation. This had seemed an auspicious occasion 
upon which to embark our enterprise, when the world breathed the verj- essence 
of transformation and the Easter spirit one to prompt reverential sentiment 
and pious offerings. All day Saturday and Sunday gave long opportunity for 



Aj\/^ THi: winr.xiNG or coi.i') street. 15 

Hartford's citizens to read the appeal, and Snnda\- evcniiifj I iiiaikd 400 circulars, 
stating the matter in a business way to the business men, and such was the effect 
of the combined influences that in just two weeks the ;5(io,ooo for (iold Street was 
pledged. My heart glows with a joy unspeakable when I recall that season of 
generous and sympathetic aid so spontaneously rendered. Like a full tide it 
flowed in, cleansing, purifying, and wiping away the stain of a long reproach to 
our fair city. Under the auspices of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter the .sum of $35,600 
has been contributed, and in all this no member, .so far as I know, ever solicited a 
penny — I certainly did not. il never hesitated to ask for approval, interest, and 
influence ; but for money, never. ) The situation was presented as forcibly and 
attractively as possible, and then people did just what they liked. No one was 
ta.xed, none suifered solicitation. The person who did not de.sire to pay toward 
the city's benefit, did not. The one who had patriotic and generous impulses and 
desired to aid in an improvement combining to a singular degree sentiment and 
civic improvement, gave according to his own ability and wishes. It was a policy 
which met the commendation of the public. 

The ta.sk of finding descendants, scattered in countless numbers all over the 
counlr\-, was one of large proportions. Miss Talcott's and Mrs. Pelton's famili- 
arity with the early families of Hartford, and the genealogical instinct and 
experience of Miss Talcott, proved of great value in our work of tracing the 
scattered representatives, and no trouble was spared in studNing that long list of 520 
names recorded in the copied e]iitai)hs of 1.S70, and tracing the various lines down 
to living representatives. The Chapter had voluntarily assumed responsil)ilitiesof 
a delicate nature, and we felt that we had no right to touch the stone of any person 
having living descendants unless authorized .so to do, or until, diligent .search 
having been made for such persons and none appearing, we were justified in 
assuming the respon.sibility. So at first we were confined to the .stones of those 
persons whom we knew had no descendants, and to those from some of whose 
representatives we received authority. Hundreds of letters were written that 
sea.son, circulars distributed, and I wrote various magazine articles in the general 
hunt for descendants, and from all over the land came sympathetic responses, 
words of encouragement, gratitude, and glad co-operation. 

After investigatioir-; during the winter of iSg6 and 1897, your Cemetery Com- 
mittee felt that the Caffall process of restoration and preservation was one that it 
would be wise to try. The obelisk in Central Park was a conspicuous example of 
its powers, and in Greenwood Cemeten,- the CafFalls had done a great deal of 
saving work. I carefully in.spected this, and received from the Superintendent 
endorsement and recommendation. The process is to cut away all decayed 
portions down to the solid stone, then apply a composition which can be well 
matched in appearance ; lettering and carving can be easily accomplished while 
the substance is soft ; it soon hardens and is said to become more enduring 
than brown sand.stone it.self By the proper application of heated paraffine, the 
stone is made impervious to climatic influences and therefore preserved for as long 
a period as the existence of the parafirne. Just what is its term of service has not 
j-et been demonstrated ; time alone can determine its length of life, but it is easily 
renewed. Most fortunately for our saving work, facsimile copies of every in,scrip- 
tion had been made and the stones numbered some thirty years previous, this list 
being in the pos.session of our late esteemed antiquarian and State Librarian, Dr. 
Charles J. Hoadley. From this valuable collection, placed courteously at our 



i6 A'/:.s/i>A\i //ii.\ oi- J/J/..l\cr/:xr/!rh')7\(;.(;A'(ii_.\/> 

disposal by Dr. Hoadley, each broken stone could be identified, and the original 
epitajjh secured. Many an aged and broken memorial, apjjarently doomed to 
speedy dissolution, has been entirely restored and is a true image of its fresh and 
perfect youth. 

I'p to midsummer, 1.S97, we had no thought of attempting anything more 
ambitious than the Caffalls had accomplished elsewhere, and their constructive 
work had consisted only of slight repairs, such as filling out a broken corner with 
their com]iosition, or inserting small portions upon which missing letters or words 
were cut. The success of these small creations was suggestive of larger ventures, 
and it was easy to aspire to more elaborate forms of restoration. It .seemed to me 
that if one inch could be faithfullN' reproduced, a facsimile of the whole design of 
an old stone might be effected, and the possibilities became very fascinating to my 
imagination. 

One nameless memorial, bereft of both epitajih and ornament, stood a very 
specter ; the mcagerne.ss of its proportions, bearing the stamp of a rapid disin- 
tegration, rou.sed a sort of sympathy and a desire to prolong the period of its 
existence, and a consuming curiosity to learn whose memory had been engraven 
on the treacherous sand.stone, both front and back of which had slipped down into 
the earth. Not more than one-half inch of solid stone remained, with a border of 
carved leaves on the top and a fragment of the pattern at the bottom. The.se 
alone remained of the original beautiful design, hui they were valuable clues. 
From Dr. Hoadky's list the monument was identified as that of Mabel Wyllys 
Talcott, and the inscription secured. The first attempt at a reproduction of the 
colonial design produced singular results. In my ab.sence from home, the faith- 
ful and enthusiastic workman thought to .give me a pleasant .surpri.se upon my 
return, which should also be a proof of his enterprise and skill. The surprise 
was accomplished in full measure, for a more original angel's head, combining 
much colonial and some modern Swedish elements, had surely never before been 
created. In sorrow and di.sappointment. all his good work had to be cut away. 
After diligent search, I found just one stone in the yard of similar contour, 
bearing the same crown of leaves at top, atid same design of border at bottom. By 
faithfully adhering to this design, and copying the epitaph found in Dr. Hoadley's 
list, a perfect reproduction of the original, I believe, was effected. 

As the work progressed, we arranged to have Mr. Edward M. Caffall of New 
York accomplish the repairing and waterproofing, and Mr. Stephen Maslen of 
Hartford have charge of carvings. 

To prevent any possible change in the position of stones during the (|uite 
elaborate work of impro\ement in the yard, or at any future time, a civil engineer 
was employed to make an official survey, and prepare a chart showing e.xact loca- 
tion of every stone in the \ard. This was the suggestion of Mrs. Henry Ferguson. 
One of my mo.st cherished hopes was that the cemetery would, at the close of the 
Chapter's labors, become incorporated with the park system of Hartford, and to 
the Board of Park Commi.ssi oners would go this chart, which would thus secure 
for all time the same position of stones which existed when the Ruth Wyllys 
Chapter assumed the responsibility of the great improvements. 

In the midst of all our bu.sy work in the cemeterj-, made light and happy by 
our hopes of widening Gold Street, came a great disappointment. From the 
assessments levied by the Street Board there were appeals from four of the prop- 
erty owners assessed. This landed the matter in the courts, and there was a 



.•/ay; the wiiu-.nixc of gold street. 



widespread feeling that the ]iroject had received its deathblow. Undoubtedly the 
appellants felt that by thus sending it to the courts it was forever disposed of. It 
was an easv way of accomplishing its demi.se, for from the very nature of the 
situation delay would mean a decay of the interest, and after a few years, deaths 
and changes must occur, that would make a revival of the matter an impossibility. 
I was met on every side by expressions of commiseration and condolence — senti- 
ments I did not myself share, for I was far enough from entertaining any idea of 
defeat. But I .seemed to be the only per.son in the world at that time wlio enjoyed 
any hope of ultimate success. I visited the City Attorney and from him learned 
that the outlook was most unfavorable. On file were many cases preceding this 
one, and years would elapse before the Gold Street matter would be reached for 
even a consideration. Well, of course years meant death ; the situation was truly 
unique, for $24,000 had been ])ledged ; $10,000 was on deposit at that time, which, 
according to the circular i.ssued by the 
Chapter, would be returned if the plans 
for the widening of Gold Street did not 
materialize. I felt that I was under 
the most sacred obligations to carry 
on this work, and that no labor or an\- 
personal feelings should prevent all 
effort to carry it to a successful issue. 
I will confess that I was pretty des- 
perate at the close corner in which I 
found my.self. Not a ray of hope in 
the direction of ordinary proceedings, 
therefore something extraordinary 
must be resorted to. Learning from 
Judge McConville that he was obliged 
to follow the instructions of the Street 
Board, a sudden light gleamed upon 
me from out of the enfolding gloom, 
and .showed me a possil)le way out of 
the difficulties. I hastened home and 
wrote an official appeal from the Chap- 
ter, signed by that forcible list of names, 
and hurried it to Mr. Northam, Presi- 
dent of the Street Board, in time for the meeting which I knew was to take place 
that evening. In that appeal I asked if, out of consideration for the very peculiar 
circumstances of the case involving .so large a .sum as $24,000, that Honorable 
Board would consider the prayer of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter and in.struct the 
City Attorney to remove the Gold Street matter from its place in line and have it 
receive immediate attention. The following morning, twenty-four hours not 
having elapsed after my interview with Judge McConville, the desired order was 
in his hands, and he began the necessary proceedings without delay. Thus the 
interesting subject was lifted from what was supposed to be its mortuary repo.se, 
and revived in a manner that was vigorous in the extreme. Then followed the 
appointment of the following committee : Judge Lyman D. Brewster of Danbury, 
Hon. Charles Phelps of Rockville, Hon. George Terry of Waterbury ; and I sup- 
pose a more capable trio never sat upon trial. Their decision supported the 




i»kinj^ Kast from Lewis Street, showing >ttii.i Life 
Biiiliiinj,' on Main Street. 



i8 A-/:sr(}A:ir/o.v of tiu: jxciest lirh'vixccRoiJ.xn 

action of the vStreet Board, and the various difficulties melted away under the 
prompt and capable administration of the Hoard. To the active efforts of Hon. 
William W. Hyde, then president of the Street Board, is due much of the legal 
celerity which astonished even the oldest citizen who was following the course of 
events, and the speed with which the matter on Monday, October 24, 1.S98, was 
passed from one court to another, and from one board to another, was, I under- 
stand, unprecedented, bringing up at the Common Council in the evening, where 
unanimous and favorable action gave the finish, and the joy which followed that 
day can be better imagined than described. Its intensity was more than a reward 
for the long period of waiting, anxiety, and susjiense. This was the third occasion 
wlien the Common Council had thus passed, not only a favorable vote, but a 
unanimous one, and I am sure such an endorsement from the gentlemen of the 
Bo.ird u])on the work undertaken by the women of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter 
entitles them to feelings of pride, as well as of gratitude. There was still another 
and a vital one to come before them, but I feared publicity and discussion, and 
bided my time, keeping the important project all to myself. 

Two weeks before the pieces of land were to be presented by the Chapter to 
the city (the deeds standing in my name), I called upon various members of the 
Common Council, and invited them to vi.sit the cemetery with me. that they might 
clearly appreciate what had been accomplished, and what ought to he arranged 
for a continuance of care, and requested that immediately upon the presentation 
of the land they should incorporate this piece of property, which had always 
belonged to the city, into its park system, and thus, under the care of the Park 
Board, which possessed permanency and resources, this sacred .spot would be for 
all time preserved. This motion also passed unanimously, and I cannot .speak 
too highly of the courtesy of the Common Council of Hartford. 

Tlie demolition of the t)u;ldings was begun April 21, 1S99, and such was the 
energy with which Mr. Roger Sherman conducted his work that the Street Board, 
graciously indulgent of the ladies' wishes, were able, by putting on a large force, 
to have everything ready for a very unique and impressive ceremony, which 
occurred on Bunker Hill Day, June 17, 1899. This was the celebration of the 
Redemption of the Ancient Cemetery and Widening of Gold Street. In the rear 
of the venerable First Church was erected a large platform, upon which were seated 
tho.se gentlemen who in various ways had particularly aided in the good work, 
and State and National officers of the Society of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution, Chapter Officers, and Gold Street Committee. An audience of 5,000 
people had gathered, and the quaint old cemetery and lately transformed Gold 
Street, shining with an unaccustomed glory, under the glistening rays of a June 
sun, was a sight to thrill one to the heart. Oh, what a spectacle it was to wait- 
ing, tired eyes ! What a joy to the souls of those that had longed for .such 
sanctification ! And there upon the stage was the beloved pastor, Dr. Walker, 
in his invalid chair, weak and speechless, but with an ineffable joy and satisfac- 
tion suffusing his countenance, and what a world of expression in the grasp of 
the hand that was still .strong I Words could have conveyed no more, and I 
could ask no greater happiness than I then experienced, when I knew that to the 
full extent of his hopes the work had been accomplished. The Putnam Phalanx 
turned out to hc)nor the occasion, and in their Continental luiifoiins made a most 
picturesque feature of the occasion, besides being one of the finest looking bodies 
of men it has ever been my pleasure to look upon. 



.INI) Tin: \\iiv:i\ix(:oi-i:oi.I)siri:i:t. 19 

The progiaiiune opened witli an invocation from our late beloved pastor of the 
First Church, Dr. Lamson. This was followed by the Doxology, played by 
Colt's full brass band and sung by that vast concourse. As the people joined in 
the words, " Praise CJod from whom all blessings flow," and the majestic volume 
of sound burst forth upon the balmy air and rose high and higher towards the sky, 
one could almost catch accompanying notes of harmony in an unseen choir join- 
ing in this anthem, the Puritan of 1636 with his descendant of 1899 blending 
heart and voice as with one acclaim in the glad hosanna. The deeds of land were 
presented by the Regent to Mayor Preston, who in a graceful and fitting speech 
accepted the gift for the city. The roll of drums from the Putnam Phalanx dnmi 
corps expressed, in stirring form, sentiment of victory. The orators of the day 
were Professor Williston Walker, who gave a most able paper upon "The 
Ancient Cemetery," Mr. Arthur I^. Shipman, who delivered an eloquent address 
entitled " The first American Revolutionists," and Hon. Henry C. Robinson, 
who spoke extemporaneously. From a full heart, surely, came one of his finest 
eflforts. Eloquent and thrilling, his voice reached even the remotest listeners in 
that great multitude, and their hearts were stirred with the magnetism of his 
oratory. It was his last jiublic address, and can we be thankful enough that our 
celebration occurred at a time to be enriched by the presence of three of our city's 
most gifted, best beloved men ? It seems dramatic, as we look back, to realize 
how soon they themselves were to be numbered among Hartford's honored dead. 
Dr. Lamson, Hon. Henry C. Robinson, Dr. Walker : in less than nine months 
this noble trio had vanished beyond our sight. The exercises closed with the 
benediction pronounced by Rev. Francis Goodwin in those matchless tones we so 
well love, and the singing of '' America " to the splendid accompaniment of the 
band, and the ringing of the old church bell which pealed joyfully 263 strokes, 
representing the number of years since, in an earlier June, Hartford's founders 
came to this settlement on the Connecticut River in 1636. So cloised a celebration 
of unique characteristics, and which the Hon. Joseph R. Hawley declared to be 
" a poem from beginning to end." This finished our part in the widening of 
Gold Street, but there still remained an important and difficult task. 

At that time there were still 350 monuments to be restored and preserved, and 
our fund lacked $3,000 of the amount necessary to accomplish this. The money 
question is certainly one of importance, but in this case there was one higher, 
that of finding all the descendants possible, and acquainting them with the situa- 
tion. The city had done its part in abolishing buildings and transforming a 
neighborhood, in order to honor the burying-ground of their ancestors. There 
remained the urgent duty of restoring and preserving every memorial in the 
yard, and to the descendants was extended the privilege of joining in the sacred 
duty. If, for any reason, they did not care to assume the responsibility, their 
permission was asked for the Chapter so to do. This involved an enormous 
amount of correspondence, and letters by the hundred and 1,000 circulars were 
sent, to every family representative that could be found, and as for three years no 
effort had been spared in the vigilant hunt, a large list awaited us. Like detec- 
tives on a keen .scent had we traced out different family lines. vSympathetic 
chords were touched, and responses came from a wide extent of country, even as 
far west as California. The very atmosphere seemed teeming with generous 
impulses and loyal reverence for the historic and kindred dead within that little 
enclosure. Can anything be more interesting or reflect more fully the lovelj', fine 



20 Ji/isroA-A riox of the ancient hi ryixg-ground 

side of human nature than this spectacle of many descendants, widely separated, 
unknown to each other perhaps, joining in the mutual work of love and honor to 
their ancestors, and caring for family memorials? Distance and time eliminated, 
they clasped hands as one great family, in filial reverence to the " fathers and 
mothers from whose blood and bone they came, to do this work in love and 
loyalty to them." 

Great was the interest shown in the selection of a new name for the i)urified 
Gold Street. Perhaps I ought here to confess to you that quite a unique honor 
was offered your Regent. Members of official boards and some prominent gentle- 
men united in the compliment of asking permission to christen the new street 
" Holcombe Place." I trust you will forgive the refusal to thus perpetuate a 
name so identified with yourselves. Though deeply appreciative and grateful for 
such an unlooked-for honor, she begged to decline, and requested that the gentle- 
men would not urge the matter, as such a result would, she felt, seriously mar a 
work which at least had had no personal thought in it. On June 26th, the 
Common Council passed the following vote : "That as there had been a request 
by many citizens to change the name of Gold Street to Holcombe Place, in honor 
of the regent of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, and that as this is against the wi.sh of 
Mrs. Holcombe, the matter be referred to Ruth Wyllys Chapter to recommend 
a name for the street." The Chapter, after con.siderable consideration, sent to the 
Common Council its official request that the name remain Gold Street. 

"The Hartford Times" generously rai.sed $1,000, by adding another §100 to 
its own contribution, if nine other contributors would each give $100. This 
was a " heljiing hand" at a critical moment. More than Ss.ooo came from 
descendants outside of Hartford and gave us our desired amount. Among the 
many, many interesting experiences, I must here speak of one circumstance that 
reflects evidence as to the contagion of good deeds and the force of examjile. I 
speak in praise of the boys and girls of Hartford. After the removal of the build- 
ings which bordered the cemeter}', the grounds were left entirely open to the 
public on the Gold Street side, from April, 1899, fo'' more than a year. We had 
thought it neces.sary to build a temporary fence to guard the broken stones, as our 
work necessitated oftentimes the removal of car\ings, etc., which were laid upon 
adjoining table .stones, and these pieces were of peculiar value, as they must be 
returned to their original places, some portions of them being reproduced. But, 
witness the influence of popular sentiment and probably the work in the public 
schools. Not a thing was ever disturbed, not one trifling fragment of those 
.stones, so peculiarly tempting to boy fingers, was ever touched. To their honor 
be it recorded that e\-en the street urchins seemed to guard this spot as a sacred 
trust. 

The labor of love is complete. The changes involving an expenditure of more 
than Si 00, 000 have all been accomplished. Standing straight and true, each stone 
bears in perfect form its vital record and accompatiiment of quaint carvings and 
curious devices. The gfrounds, under the transfonning .skill of the Park Board, 
have been artistically graded, and, undulating and i)icture.sque in contour, have a 
surface of perfect turf, ornamented with charmingly devised beds of shrubbery 
and flowers. The brick walls of adjoining commercial buildings, as well as the 
church, will soon be adorned with masses of waving green vines. The final work 
was the erection of a beautiful colonial fence of wrought iron, with brick pillars 
bearing urns of stone handsomely carved. This fence was designed by McKim, 



.IXn Till-: H'fDEX/XG 1>F GOL/) S/'A'/:/:J . 21 

Mead & White of New York, and was the generous gift of Mr. James J. Goodwin. 
The recessed gateway, a memorial to John Haynes, first Governor of Connecticut, 
was the gift of the Misses Stokes of New York. Tliis fence, e.xtending to Main 
Street, inchules in the one enclosure the venerable Imilding of the First Church (a 
beautiful specimen of colonial architecture), which, with its churchyard embedded 
in green surnnmdings, presents a veritable bit of Kngli.sh land.scape in our city's 
midst. To thus extend the fence seemed of .such importance that to secure its 
accomplishment, Mrs. George C. Perkins gave a generous contribution toward 
the expense of the iron fence, the church making up the balance. The masonry 
of this part of the fence, which is the property of the Fir.st Church, was a gift 
from Mr. James J. Goodwin. 

A memorial gate is now in process of erection to the north of the church, on 
Main Street, connecting the church edifice with its chai^el. This is erected to the 
memory of Mr. John C. Day, by his wife, Mrs. Alice Hooker Day. and daugliters, 
Miss Katherine Seymour Day and Miss Alice Hooker Day, designed by Mr. Wm. 
E. Parsons. 

It is interesting to note that Mr. Day was eighth in descent from Gov. John 
Haynes, whose memorial gateway is on Gold Street. 

This gateway has a bronze tablet on each pillar ; one bears at the top the dates 
1594 and 1654, the birth and death of John Haynes, between which is the Haynes 
coat-of-arms. Below is the in.scrijjtii-n, which reads, " In memory of John Haynes, 
first Governor of the Colony of Connecticut. This gateway is given by two of 
his descendants, 1900." The other one has at the top, each side of the Haynes 
coat-of-arnis, as in the other, two significant dates, 1639, 1789. These are the 
dates when the Con.stitution was born in Connecticut, 1639, and the United States 
Constitution, its lineal descendant, had its birth 150 years later in 1789. The 
inscription reads :* "John Haynes, one of the three illustrious framers of the first 
written constitution creating a government upon which were based the principles 
of American constitutional liberty-." 

The time is past, I am sure, when the stranger can criticise Hartford, the home 
of his ancestors, perhaps, for the manner in which she has treated the resting- 
place of her historic progenitors. We rejoice in the confidence that the descendant 
of the city's founders, or the genealogist, or the historical scholar will find in 
the beauty of the old cemetery that Hartford, at last, honors her past, reveres her 
illustrious dead, and keeps well the sacred trust of this priceless heritage. 

EMILY S. G. HOLCOMBE, 

Recent Ruth U'v/Zys Chapter. 
Hartford, CoNNECTicfT, 
April 23, 1902. 



•This inscription was arranged by Mr, Harold G. Holcombe, endorsed by Mr. Wili>ur F. Gordy, Principal 
of the Second North School, author of " History of Connecticut." 



h'/:sTOA'.rnoN of the ascient rurying-ground 



LIST OF GENERAL CONTRIBUTORS 

TO THE inNl) FOK IMI'KOVING THK ANCIENT CEMETERY AND THE 
WIDENING OF GOLD STREET. 

The following is a list of those persons who pledged contributions for the 
Gold Street Fund, if the plan for widening the street should he carried out. As 
some of these pledges were made to the newspapers under name of "A Friend" 
or initials, and the delay in the work caused by the appeals from assessments 
quite considerable, it will be easy to realize that it was difficult to identify 
some of the contributors. Great care has been taken in this matter, and by the 
indefatigable energy of Miss Mary Francis, Chainnan of the Publication Commit- 
tee, I believe all uncertain names, save three, have been discovered. If there are 
any errors or omissions, I will ask a generous public to be indulgent, remembering 
that all this work has been undertaken by tho.se unaccustomed to business 
methods, whose only desire has been to serve, as faithfully as possible, their city, 
state, and country.* 

Aliell, Mr. Karle 1". 
Alwll, Jlrs. Sarah E. 
Alien, Mrs. B. Rowlan.l 
Allen, Miss Hdith 
Allen. Jlr. John 
Allen, Mrs. Joshua \V. 
Allen, Mr. Nathan H. 
Allen, Mr. Nonnand 1". 
Ames, Mrs. Charles L. 
Anjfus, Mr. William 
Avery. Mrs. Ceorjje W. 
Balf, Mr. Edward 
Barhour, Mr. Lucius \. 
Barbour. Mrs. Lucius A. 
Barker. Mrs. Ludlow 
Barnard, Miss Ellen S. 
Barnes, Mrs. Loren W. 
Barrett lirolhers 
Bartlelt, Miss Man.' L. 

( Mrs. Duncan B. McDon.iId t 
Beach, Mrs. C. Nichols 
Beach, Mr. tleorge 
Beach. Mrs. (ieorj;e Watson 
Belknap. Mr. LevereU 
Bennett, Miss .Vlice X. 
( Mrs. Livingston Ham, 

Providence, R. 1. 1 
Benton, Mr. John H. 

Washington, D. C. 
Bijjelow, Mr. Georfje A. 

I'hiladc-Iphia, Pa. 
Billinjjs, Mr. Charles E. 
Billings, Mr. Frederick C. 
Bissell, Miss Caroline Day 

I Mrs, Howard H. (*,arnianv ) 
Blanchard. Mr. Ceorjje C. 
Blanchard, Mr. Homer 
Blanchard, Mr. Joseph L. 
Bliss, Mrs. Benjamin 
Bliss, Mrs. I-.mily H. 
Bliss. Mr. I'rederick S. 
Blythe, Miss Margaret 
Boardman, Mr. Cleorjje C. 

S;in Francisco, Cal. 
Bosworth. Mrs. Stanlej' B. 
Bowers. Mrs. Mary .\delina 
Brace. Miss Ivmily 
Brainard, Mrs. .\ustin 
Brainard, Hon. Leverett 
Brainard, Mrs. Leverett 



Brainard, Mi.ss Lucy .A. 
Brewster, Mrs. James H. 
lironson. Miss Alice E. 
Brooks, Miss l^ydia C. 
Brown, Mr. A. P. 
Brown, Thomson & Co. 
Browne. Mr. J. I). 
Buck, Mr. John R. 
Bucklev. Mrs. Wickliffe S. 
Hulkelcy, Miss Elinor H. 
Bulkeley, Master Haujihton O. 
Bulkeley, Mr. Morgan G. 
Bulkeley, Mrs. Morgan G. 
Bulkeley, Morgan G., Jr. 
Bulkier. Mrs. George L. 
BuUarti, Mr. Herbert S. 
Bunce, Mrs. Edward M. 
Bunce, Mr. Jimathan B. 
Bunce. Mr. John Lee 
Bundy, Mr. Horace L. 
Butidy, Mrs. Horace L. 
Burbank. Miss Julia B. 
Burr Bros.. "Hartford Times. " 
Bushnell, Mrs. Horace 
Buths. Mr. Joseph 
Butler, Mrs. Albert L. 

C. 

I "A. C." Memorial Contribution.) 
Calder, Mr. George 
Camp, Mrs. John S. 
Carj)enter, Miss Helen E. 
Carpenter. Master Sidney C. 
Caqjenter, Mrs. Sidney T. 
Case, Mrs. .\. Willard 

( Former Chapter Member. 

Manchester, Coiui. i 
Catlin. Mrs. .Vbijah, Jr. 
Chamberlin, Mrs. I'ranklin 
Chase, Miss Genevieve 
ChiLse. Mr. George L. 
Chase, Mrs. George L. 
Chenev, Miss lOiza Trumbull 
Cheney. Col. I'rank \V. 
Cheney, Mrs. Erank W. 
Cheney, Mrs. Knight I). 
Cheney, Col. Louis R. 
Chenev, Mrs. Louis R. 
Cheney, Mr. Richard O. 
Child, Mr. .\. Kennedy 



E. S. G. H. 

Church, Mr. .Xbner 
Church, Mr. I-'rederick E. 

Hudson. N. Y. 
Churchill, Miss Annie S. 
Clark. Mr. Charles Hopkins 
Clark. Mr. I'ranklin 
Clark, Mr. E. C. 

Summit, N. J. 
Clark, Miss Mary 
Clark, Miss Susan T. 
Clement, Mrs. Percival W. 

Rutland, Vt. 
Club, Civic 
Club, Friday 
Club, Monday .Xfternoon 

History 
Club, Saturday Morning 
Collins, Mr. .\twood 
Collins, Mrs. .Xtwood 
Collins. Mi.ss Fallen 
Collins, Miss Mary F. 
Colt, Mrs. Samuel 
Cone, Miss F'lorence M. 
Cone, Mrs. Joseph H. 
Converse, Mrs. Julia J. 
Cook, Mrs. .Ansel G. 
Cooke. Mrs. John W. 
Cooley. Mr Charles P. 
Cooley, Mr. I'rancis B. 
Cooley. Mrs. Francis B. 
Cooley. Mr. Francis R.. 
Cooley, Dr. ("jeorge P. 

New Britain. Conn. 
Corning, Mr. John Jay 
Crosby. Mrs. Ivrastus H. 
Cummings, Jlr. I'rancis A. 
Curtis, Rev. Lucius y. 
Curtis, Mrs. Lucius y. 
Cutler, Master Ralph D. 
Cutler, Mr. Raliili W. 
Cutler, Mrs. Ralj)!! \V. 

Danforth. Mrs. John \V. 
Davis, Mr. Frederick \V. 
Davis, Mrs. I. B. 
Davis, Mr. Solon P. 
Day, Miss Caroline E. 
Day, Mr. George H. 
Day, Mrs. George H. 
Day, Mr. John C. 



* Residences other tlian Hartford are stated. 



,l.\7> I HI. U//U:X/X(; ()/•■ r,7)/./) STREET. 



23 



Day, Mrs. Jolin C. 
Day, Mrs. Robert K. 
Day, Mrs Thomas M. 
DeniiiiK, Mrs. Ivrncst 
Deliisoii, Mr. John L. anil I''. 
Dennis, Miss Hertha P. 
Dewing. Mrs. Snsan M. 
De Will, Mrs. Jolm H. 
Dixon, Miss lUizabeth I,. 
Dobson. Mrs. John S. 

Vt-rnon, Conn. 
Dunham, Mr. Samuel O. 
Dunham, Miss Sarah R. 
Dunscombe, Mrs. Crodfrey 

New M.ivcn. Conn. 
Dwij;ht, Mrs. William B. 
Echols, Mrs. Francis G. 
Rihvanls. Mr. William B. 
Ellsworth, Miss Emily W. 

iMrs, K. Jnlins .^ndeisoni 
Ellsworth, Mrs." Pinckncy W. 
Ellsworth, Mr. William W. 

New York City 

Enders, Mr. John O. 
Pagan, Mr. Joseph A. 
Fairfield, Mr. George .\. 
Faxon, Mrs. Walter C. 
Fengar, Mrs. Charles C. 

Now York City 
Ferguson, Rev. Henry 
Ferguson, Mrs. Henry 
Forbes, Mr. Ira E. 
Foster, Miss .\Hce 
Foster, Miss F'mma P 
Fowler. Mr. Clarkson X. 
Fowler, Jliss Emma G. 
Fox & Co. 
Francis & Co. 
Francis, Mrs. Frederick A. 
Francis. Miss Mary- 
Franklin, ("Ten. William B. 
Freeman. Judge Harrison B. 
Gallup, Mrs John M. 
Gar\an, Mr. Patrick 
Gates, Mrs. Horace P. 

New Y'ork City 
Gates, Mrs. Levi C. 
Gaylord, Mrs. Fjnily X. 
Gilbert, Mrs. Charles E. 
Gillett, Mr. Albert H. 
Gillett, Mrs. Albert B. 

I Tor \. C. Ilolchkissi 

Gillett, Prof. Arthur L. 

Gillette, Mr. William 

New York City 

Gilman, Mrs. George S. 

Gladwin, Mr. Sidney M. 

Gladwin, Mrs. Sidney M. 

Goldthwaite, Miss Charlotte 

Goldthwaite, Miss Jane 

Goo<irich, Mr. Arthur L. 

Goodrich, Mr. Theodore H. 

Goodrich, :Mrs. Theodore il. 

Goodwin, Miss .\nna M. 

Goodwin. Miss Carolyn .\. 

Goodwin, Mr. Charles S. 

Goodwin, Rev. Francis 

Goodwin, Mrs. F'rancis 

Goodwin, Mrs. Harriet B. 

Goodwin, Mr. James J. 

Goodwin, Mr, Lester H. 

Goodwin, Miss ILary E, 

(Mrs Kdwin H. Bingham) 

Gordy, Mr, Wilbur F. 



Graves, Mrs. Seth D. 
Graves, Miss Julia .\, 
Green, Mr. D. J. 
Greene, Mrs. Jacob L. 
Gross, Mrs. Charles E. 
Gross, Mrs. Thomas 

Kast Iladilani, Conn. 
Haas, Mr. Louis B. 
Habenstein, Mr. F;dwanl 
Hall, Mrs. John H. 
Hall, Mr. James P. 
Hall, Miss Mary 
Hamerslev, Miss Ivli/.al)eth J. 
Hamerslev, Mrs. William 
Hanunimd, Mrs. V.. Payson 
Hapgood, Mrs. Melvin II. 
Harper, Dr. J. Warren 
Harrington. Mr. Henry \\. 
Hart, Mrs. A. I'.lijah 
Hart, Mrs. Ferdinand M. 
Hart. Prof. .Samuel 
Hartfil Real Instate ICxchan.ge 
Hartford Times 
Harvey & Lewis 
Hastings, Miss Mary L. 
Hatch, Mr. George V.. 
Havemeyer, Mrs. Julia L. 
Hawley,'Mrs. .-Knna C. 
Hawley, Hon. Joseph R. 
Hewins, Miss Caroline M. 
Hewins, Mrs. M. H. 
Hills & Co. 
Hills, Mrs. A. C. 

Hills, Jliss Anna M. 

Hills. Mr. George F. 
Hills, Miss Harriet 

Hills, :Mr. J. Coolidge 

Hillver, Mr. .\ppleton R. 

Hill'yer, Miss Clara E. 

Hillver. Mr. Drayton 

Hitchcock, Jlrs. Henry P. 

Holcombe, Miss Emily M. 

Holconibe, Mr. Harold G. 

Holcombe, Mr. John Marshall 

Holcombe, Mrs. John Marshall 

Holcombe, Master .Marshall 

Holt, Mr. Fred P. 

Hooker. Mrs. Bryan E. 

Hooker, Mrs. Edward B. 

Hooker, Mr. Edward W. 

Hooker, Mrs. Edward W. 

Hooker, Mr. John 

Hooker. JLaster Joseph K. 

Hooker, Master Thomas 

House, Mrs. William W. 

Hovey, Mrs. Henry R. 

Howard. Jlrs. Charles F. 
" Howard, Mrs. F'rank L. 

Howe, -Mr. Daniel R. 

Hoyt, Mr. Charles A, 

lirooklvn, N. Y 

Hudson, Dr. Willi,-!m JL 

Hungcrford, Mrs. Caroline C 

Huugerford, Mr. Clarence E. 

Huugerford, Mr. Xewnian 
Huntington. Miss Charlotte E 
Huntington, Rev. John T. 
Hurd, Mr. Charles F. 
Hurlev, Master John 
Husband, Mrs. William P. 
Hyde, Mrs. William Waldo 
Ingalls, Mrs. Phinea.s H. 

Jackson, Miss Julia A. 



Jacobus, Rev. Melancthon W. 
Jarvis. Dr. George C. 
Jarvis, Mrs. George C. 
Jarvis. Mr. Richard W. H. 

Jewell. Mr. Charles A. 
Jewell. Miss Charlotte .\. 
Johnson. Mrs. Charles W. 
Jones, Mr. John Pantry 

Sonlli Windsor, Conn. 
Jones, Mrs, Horace K. 
Judd, Mr. Edwin I), 
keim, Mrs. De B. Ran<lol])h 

Rca<lin^;, I'a. 

Kellogg. Dr. F^dward W. 

Kellogg. Mrs. George 

Kellogg, Miss Helen V.. 

I Mrs. All'crt S. l,\i(llaini 

King. Mr. William II. 

Knap]), l.ieut. Harry S. 

Knap]). Miss Margaret L. 

Kna])]). Miss Mary C. 

Knight. Mr. James H. 

Knights Templars. Washing- 
ton Commandery Xo. I. 

Knous. Mrs. Jacob 

Kohn. Mr. Henry & Sons 

I.amson. Rev. Charles M. 

Langdon. Mr. Herbert B. 

Lansing. Mrs. (irace Moffatt 
Walertown. N. Y. 

Lawrence. Mrs. Charles H. 
Lee. Mrs. George 
Lee, Mrs. William H. 
Lester. Mr. C. H. 
Lewis. Dr. John B. 
Loomis. Mr.s. ,\rchibald G. 
Looniis. Judge Dwight 
Love. Rev. W. De Loss 
Lvman. Jlrs. Theodore 

Macauley, Mr. George T. 

Detroit. Mich. 
MacDonald, Mrs. Duncan B. 
Marsh. Mrs. Ellen W. 
Mar\iu, Mr. Edwin E. 
Marvin. Jlr. L. P. Waldo 
Mason. W. C. & Co. 
Mather, Mr. Horace E. 
McAlpin. Mrs. M. Root 

Milwaukee. Wis. 

McConville. Jlr. William J. 
McCray, Mrs. William B. 
McMaiius. Dr. James 
Messinger. Mr. William C. 
Millard. Mr. Cornwall T. 
Millanl, Mrs. Cornwall T. 
Millard. Mr. S.anmel T. 
Mix. Miss FHiza F. 
Moore, Mrs. George W. 
Moore, Mr. James B. and 

children 
Moore. Miss Majorie 
Morgan, Mrs. ICmma Iv K. 
Morris. Mrs. John V.. 
Morris. Mr. Jonathan 1". 
Moselev. Mr. George W. 
Munsili, Mr. Gail B. 
Xichols. Judge James 
Xortham. Mrs. Charles II. 
Nnrihroii, .Mrs. HIiz.iliiih MyKail 
Noyes, Mrs, Emily D. 

Mystic, Conn. 

Olcott, Mr. Dudley 

Albany, N. Y. 



u/:sT()A'.ir/ox or thi-: axciext nrnyixG-GROUND 



Olcott, Mr. Frederick P. 

Ntw York Cily 
Palmer. .Mrs. William II. 
Par.lce. Mr. V.. II. 

Nfw York Cily 
Pardee, Miss Sarah N 
Parker, Miss Catherine O. 
Parsons, Mr. John C. 
Parsons, Miss Tirtah M. 
Pastor, City 
Pease, Jlrs. Charles A. 
Peck, Miss Cornelia C. 
Perkins. Mr. .\rtliur 
Perkins, Mr. Iviwanl C. 
Perkins, Mrs. Hdward 11. 
Perkins, Mrs. {Veor>;e C. 
Perkins. Mr. Ilenrv .\. 
Perkins, Miss MahL-l II. 
Perr\-, Mrs. .\lfred T. 
Phelps, Miss .Antoinette R. 
Phelps. Mr. Oscar .\. 
Phillips. Mr. Daniel 
Phillijis, Miss lillen M. 
Piniiey. Mrs. M. E. 
Pinney, Mrs. Maria \V. 

Dcrhv, Conii- 
Pitkin. Mrs. Albert H. ' 
Pitkin. Mrs. Albert P. 
riiniplon. Mr. I.inus H. 
Porter, Mrs. Jolm .\(ldi.son 

Pomfrct, Conn. 
Pratt, Mr. Francis A. 
Pratt, Mr. James C. 
Prentice, Miss I-;ii/.a II. 
Pre.ston. Miss Clara V. 
Preston. Mrs. Miles H. 
Price, Mr. William T. 

Ransom, Mrs. Georjfe R. 

Colchester, Conn, 
Richards. Mr. Alfred T. 
Richards, Mr. E. G. 
Richards, Mr. I'rancis H. 
Rislev, Mr.s. Hlisha 
Robb'ins, Rev. .Silas W. 
Roberts, Mrs. Elvira C. 
Roberts, Mr. (ieorfje 
Roberts, Mr. Henry 
Robinson, Mrs. Charles .\. 
Robinson, Mrs. Charles L. I". 
Newport, R. I. 
Robinson, Miss Ivliza T. 
Robinson, Hon. Henry C. 
Rockwell, Mrs. I'rederick C. 
Root, Mr. John C. 
Root, Mrs. Judson H. 
Root, Miss Matilda C. 

I Mrs. Charles Hopkins Clark) 
Rose, Dr. John H. 
Russ, Mr. Ch.irles C. 
Russell, Mrs. l"re<lerick W. 
Russell, Dr. Gurdon W. 
Rus.sell, Mrs. Gnrdon W. 
Russell, Mrs. John .A. 
Russell, Mrs. Thomas W. 
St. John, Dr. Samuel H. 
St. John, Mrs. Samuel B. 
Sanborn, Mr. W'illiam .\. 
Sawyer, Miss E<litli P. 

I Mrs Charles I, W. rctlee* 
Sawyer, Mrs. Georjje O. 
Scott, Mrs. J. Stanley 
Scott, Mrs. M. Hmdford 
Scoville, Mr. William II. 
Sedgwick, Mrs. Charles F. 



Seymour, Miss Emily 
Sheffield, Miss Amelia H. 

I'tica, N. Y. 
Sheldon, Miss Elizabeth B. 
Sheldon, Miss Jane I,. 
Shejilurd, Dr. CieorKe R. 
Shepherd. Mrs. Geor>;e R. 
Shipmaii. Mr. .\rthnr L. 
Shipman, Judj^e Nathaniel 
Shipman, Mrs. Nathaniel 
Simpson, Mrs. I'rederick T. 
Sisters. Two 
Skinner, Mrs. Ellen M. 
Skinner, Col. William C. 
Skinner, Mrs. William C. 
Slocomb, Mrs. Cuthbert II. 

I'.rotoii, Conn. 
Small, Mrs. Frederick 1". 
Smith, Mr. Charles B. 
Smith, Mr. Charles (',. 

New York City 

Smith, Mrs. Charies H. 
Smith, Mrs. Edward \. 
Smith. Mr. Ivlwin J. 
Smith. Mr. ICrne.st W. 
Smith. Mrs. I'rank O. 
Smith. Mr. Herbirl Knox 
Smith. Mrs. Mary M. 

I'nionville, Conn. 
Smith, Dr. Oliver C. 
Society of Colonial Dames 
Society, I'irst Ivcclesiastical 
Society, T'niversalist Church, 
Youni; IVojile's Benevolent 
Sooter. Miss Henrietta 
South luid I'ourlh of July 

Celebration 
Souther. Mr. Henry 
.Spencer, .Mr. .Ambrose 
Spencer, Mrs. Elmer D. 

Kaneville, 111. 

Spencer, Miss Mary 
Spencer, Miss Marv C. 
Stanley. Miss Ivllen C. 
Stanton, Mr. I^ewis E. 
Starr, Mrs. Pierre S. 
Stearns, Dr. Henry P. 
Stedniaii. Miss Elizabeth S. 
Stillman, Miss Alice W. 
Stokes, Mr. .\ii.son Phelps 

New \'ork City 

Stokes, Miss Caroline Phelps 

New Vtirk City 
Stokes, Miss Olivia E. P. 

New York city 

Stone, Miss Janet Tryoii 
Stone, Mrs. S. M. 
Storrs. Dr. Mel.incthon 
Slorrs, Mrs. William M. 
StouKhton, Mr. I)wij;ht G. 
Suj.;(len, Mr. William E. 
Sumner. Mrs. I'rank C. 
Sumner, Mr. Geor>;e G. 
Swift. Mr. Rowland L. 
Swords, Mr. Joseph F. 

Taintor, Miss Alice 
Taintor, Mr. GeorRe E. 
Taintor, Mr. Henry E. 
Taintor, Mrs. James U. 
Talcott, Mr. Charles Hooker 
Talcott, Miss Marv Kiiifjsburv 
Talcott, Mrs. Setli 
Talcott, Mrs. Thomas G. 
Taylor, Mr. James P. 



Taylor, Mrs. John M. 
Tern,', Mr. John T. 

New York City 
Terry, Mrs. Stephen 
Terry, Miss Mary \. 
Thayer, Mr. (ieorj^e B. 
Thompson. Mr. Charles E. 
Thompson, Mrs. Maria D. 
Thomson, Mr. A. C. 

Boston, Mass. 
Thomson, Mr. James M. 
Tierney, Rij.jht Rev. Michael 
Tracy, Mrs. H. D. 
Tracy, Miss Louisa 

New Haven, Conn. 
Tucker, Mr. Edwin H. I 
Tucker, Mr. James E. I 

In nienior\'of Mrs. I<<lwin Tncker 
Tucker, Mrs. John D. 
Tuller, Mrs. Charles D. 
Turner, Mrs. E. B. 
Tuttle, Miss Alice G. 
Tuttle, Miss Jane 
Tuttle, Mr. Samuel I. 
Tuttle, Mrs Samuel I. 
Twichell. Rev. Joseph H. 
Twitchell, Mr. Willis I. 
Tyler, Miss Charlotte 
Tyler, Miss Kate G. 

V'anRensselaer. Mr. .Mexander 

HurliiiKton, N. J. 

Veteran Volunteer I'irenian's 

.Association 
Wadsworth, Mr. Clarence S. 

New York Cily 

Wadsworth, Mr. Herbert C. 
Wainwri;;ht, Miss Mabel W. 
WainwriKht, Mrs. W. A M. 
Walker, Rev. Georjje Leon 
Walker, Mrs. Georjte Leon 
Walker, Rev. Williston 
Ward, Mrs. .Au.stin M. 
Ward, Miss Catharine Webb 
Warfield. Mr. George F. 
Warner. Mrs. Charles Dudley 
Warner, Mr. Ivlward H. 
Watkinsoii, Miss Caroline H. 
Watkinson, Mrs. Louise S. 
Watrous, Mr. William H. 
Welch. Mr. Archibald A. 
Welch, Mrs. Archibald A. 
Welles, Mr. Charies T. 
Wellins;, Mrs. James C. 
Wells, Mr. Ch.aries T. 
Wells, Mr. Daniel H. 
Wells. Mr. ICdward W. 
Wells, IMrs. John S. 
White, Mr. Heri)ert H. 
Whitin;;, Miss Helen !•'. 
Whitmore. Mrs. Franklin G. 
Willard, Miss Lizzie H. 
Williams. Mr. Aaron W. C. 
Williams, Miss .Augusta 
Williams, Mr. (ieorge G. 
Williams, Mrs. tieorge G. 
Williams. Mr. Job 
Williams, Mrs. Mary A. 
Williams, Mrs. William P. 
Wood, Mrs. William J. 
Woodward, Mr. Joseph Hooker 
Woodward, Mrs. P. Henry 
Wordin, Mrs. Charles W. 

Vergason, Mrs. Edgar S. 



.IN/y nil UII^FMING OF COLD STRFET. 



25 



LIST OF DEvSCENDANTS 

WHO CONTRIIiUTEn KOK TIIK rKESERVATION OK FAMILY MEMORIALS. 

The following names art those who gave for a sijecific purpose in the saving of 
stones. 

In .several cases one person alone re.stored and jireserved an ancestor's tomb. 

In many cases descendants contributed toward a family fund to cover the 
expenses of restoring and preserving all the memorials bearing the name. 




Vic«- of GoM Street. Iiuikini; West from /Etna Life Buikliiij;. .M.>iia Street, ;ift<T the Kutli Wvllys 
Chapter's Work of Restoration. 

This list of descendants, repre.senting a wide territory, even as far west as 
California, and an interest in famil\' ties not to be destroyed by time or distance, 
has been most carefully prepared. It can but be a genealogical work of considerable 
value in the years to come, when family lines and relation.ships now well established 
shall have become unknown or uncertain. There are a few contributors who are 
not " descendants," but in each case the fact is so .stated. 

In some in.stances, per.sons wished to pay respect to an ancestor buried in the 
yard for whom no memorial now existed, and so, "In Memory" of person or 
persons, gave for genera! im])ro\ement. 

Every stone not mentioned iu the following list has been done by the Ruth 
Wyllys Chapter from the " General Fund." 



26 RESrORA riON OF THE ANCIENT III kYING-GROUND 

ALLYN. 

Lieut. -Col, Jolin Allyii, Magistrate and Secretary of the Colony thirty-four 
years, and distinguished for many public services, died in 1696. To his memory 
was erected a handsome sarcophagus, bearing an inscription cut in a curious way. 

Tliis memorial attracts much attention, and is one often sought by strangers. 
It was put in perfect order, the epitajih re-cut, and the stone preserved. Col. John 
Allyn left a family of daughters, and there are no descendants in the male line. 

The following descendants of Col. Allyn contributed a portion of the expense, 
and the Ruth W'yllys Chapter made up the balance. 

.\llyn, Mr. J. WiUiani Hartford 

fCollaternl, not a direct descendant. I 
Bolton, Mrs. Charles E. (Sarah Knowles), . . Cleveland, Ohio 

Roltoii, Mr. Charles Knowles, Hoston, Mass. 

Kno, Mrs. George C. (Nellie Goodrich), .... Sinisburj-, Conn. 

Knsign, Mr. Ralph H.. ....... Siinsbnrj-, Conn. 

Francis, Miss Mary, .......... Hartford 

l-'rancis, Mrs. William (Mary J. Miller), ..... Hartford 

Harland, Mr. Edward. ....... Norwich, Conn. 

Hotchkiss, Capt. William B., New York City 

Kennedy, Mrs. Elijah R. (Lucy Brace Pratt). . Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Knons, Mrs. Franklin F. (Mary A.), . New Haven, Conn. 

Pratt, Mi.ss Fannie W., ......... Hartford 

Pratt. Mr. James T., ......... Hartford 

Richards. Jlr. Francis H., . . . . Hartford 

Stanley, Mrs. Frederick N. (Alice Moore), . . New Britain, Conn. 

Stillnian, Miss .\lice W Hartford 

Tultle, Miss Jane Hartford 

(Collateral, not direct descendLint. i 

BARNARD. 

Two stones in memory of Captain John Barnard and Hannah Bigelow, his wife, 
were removed from the South Burying Ground in 1900, and placed in tlie Ancient 
Cemeterj-. 

They were grandparents of Dr. Henry Barnard. A great-grandson : 

Gross, Mr. Charles E Hartford 

assumed the responsibility of remo\al and preservation of the stones. 

Captain John Baniard was a valtied officer in the Revolutionary War, a member 
of the Cincinnati, and friend of Washington. 

BENTON. 

One of the very old stones is that to Andrew Benton, died 1683, ae. 63. This 
e.scaped observation until, by diligent search, it was discovered, so sunken in the 
earth that no inscription was visible. The stone to Mr. John Benton, Jr., died 
1790, ae. 38, was badly broken, but was perfectly restored. 

Both memorials were done b\- a descendant : • 

Corning, Mr. John Jay Hartford 

Later, Mr. John Benton, of Washington, D. C, who was making "an ancestral 
pilgrimage" through Xew England, and was pleased to find the.se ancient memo- 
rials of his family, would have been glad to assume the ex])ense, but as they were 
already cared for, he kindly contributed to the " General Fund 



.L\j) rill-: ir//u:.v/X(; or (.old srm-.i:r. 27 

BIGELOW. 

There are several stones lo nieiuliers of this family, one a table monument to 
Timotlu- Biji^elow, died 1761, ae. 31, and will-, Hannah (daughter of William and 
Ann (Bassett) Hyde), died 1763, ae. 25. 

All done by the following descendants : 

HiKelow, Miss Kliza Kinj; Brooklyn, N. Y. 

HiKflow, Mr. Richard Hillyer. New York City 

They are children of Mr. Richard Bigelow, of Hartford, (John 4, John 3, 
Timothy 2, Jonathan i, ) who was prominent in the work of improving the Ancient 
Cemetery in 1835, when the Ancient Cemetery Association was formed, and the 
central shaft, bearing the names of the " Founders," was erected. 

Mr. Bigelow built on High Street the fine hou.se (later known as the I.aw.son 
Ives place) adjoining that of his brother-in-law, Deacon Thomas Smith. He 
removed to Xew York in 1842. 

BOARDMAN. 

Rev. Benjamin Boardman, died 1802, ae. 70, was jia.stor of the South Church 
many years. He was al.so chaplain in the Revolutionary War. On account of the 
strength of his voice and its carrying power he was called " Big Gun of the Gospel 
Boardman." A table-stone erected to his memon- and that of his wife, Anna, 
formerly relict of Rev. Stephen Hosmer, died 1809, ae. 92, was put in perfect 
condition and preserved b\- : 

Boardman, Mr. Oeorge C, ..... . San I'rancisco, Cal, 

who, after giving to the " General Fund," requested the privilege of caring for the 
stone of Rev. Mr. Boardman. who left no direct descendants. 

BRADLEY. 

Aaron Bradley was a man of prominence in Hartford, and one of the founders 
of Christ Church, He died 1802, ae. 61 . His headstone was done by the following 
descendants : 

Beach, Mr. Charles Edward West Hartford, Conn. 

Beach, Mr. Charles M.. ...... West Hartford, Conn. 

Beach. Miss Edith West Hartford. Conn. 

Beach, Miss Frances .Antoinette. ..... West Hartford. Conn, 

Beach, ilr. George. .......... Hartford 

Beach, Miss Mary Elizabeth. .... West Hartford. Conn. 

Beach. Mr. Thomas Belknap, ........ .Hartford 

Hunlinjjton. Mrs. William W. (Harriet Bradley Beach). West Hartford. Conn. 



BRAINERD. 

Hezekiah Brainerd was Representative from Haddam to the General Court at 
Hartford, Assistant and Speaker of the Upper House. He died while attending 
the General Court, 1727, ae. 46. 

His stone was restored by a great-grandson : 

Sims, Mr. John C Philadelphia, Pa. 



28 RESTOKAr/ON OF THE A.XCfENT BURYIXC-G ROUND 

BROWN. 

William Brown, an attorney, whose death at 39, in 1803, was very generally 
lamented. A marble headstone to his memory was cleaned and preserved by his 
grandson : 

Parsons, Major John Caldwell Hartford 

BULL. 

Twenty headstones, several of ver>- fine type of colonial style and car\ing, and 
an elaborate sarcophagus, remained of the memorials to this family. Some were 
in very serious conditions of decay, and seemed at first impossible of redemption. 
But as our powers of reproduction expanded with experience, it became possible 
to renew life even in the veriest wrecks of monuments. The expense of doing 
these headstones was large, but a " Bull Kniid " was created, and the de.scendants, 
uniting from various parts of the country, bore the expen.se of all but the 
sarcophagus. 

Following is the list of contributors : 

Adams, Jlr. Jolin Quinc\', ....... St. Paul, Minn. 

Hacclius, Rev. Brady Electus, ...... New York City 

Bull, Mr. Charles H Quincy, 111. 

Bull, Mrs. Elizabeth, ....... Naugatuck, Conn. 

Bull, Mr. Lorenzo. Quincy. 111. 

Bull, Mr. Martin Van Buren, ...... .\ll)any. N. V. 

( Not a descendant, but for the name, and in approval of tlie work, pave to the "' Hull 
Fund.") 

Bull, Mr. W. A Orangeburg, S. C. 

Bull, Mr. Stephen, Racine, Wis. 

Bull, Dr. T. M Naugatuck, Conn. 

Bunce, Mrs. Francis M. (Marj' Bull), Hartford 

Gross, Mr. Charles K Hartford 

Kelsey, Mrs. Edward, West Hartford, Conn. 

Mason, Mrs. William .-\., ....... Chicago, 111. 

Niles. Mrs. W. W. (Bertha Olmsted), .... Concord, N. H. 

Shove, Mrs. Susan B.. ....... Woodbury, Conn. 

The most elaborate sarcophagus in the yard is that of Joseph Bull, erected upon 
the spot iv'here the Caleb Bull tomb originally stood. When this toml) was 
removed (owing to its worn condition, I am told 1, two tablets were taken from the 
doors, and inserted in the adjoining wall. They read as follows : 

"Family tomb of Caleb Bull, died 1789, aged 72, and Martha, his wife, died 
1786, aged 62." Oil the other a ver.se of appeal which .seems like a prophetic 
apprehension in \'ieW of the fate of her tomb : 

" Refuse us not 

This little spot 
Our weary limbs to rest 

Till all may rise 

In glad surjjrise 
And life forever blest." 



^.\7) nil: WrnENIXC OF COLD STkliET. 29 

The sarcophagus erected to the memor> of Joscj)h Bull, died 1797, ae. 63, and 
Esther Gedney, his wife (daughter of John and Mary Gedneyj, died 1783, ae. 41, 
and others of this branch of the Bull family, remained until one of the last in the 
_\ard to receive attention. The Ruth \V\llys Chajiter then bore the expense of its 
restoration and ])reservation, being authorized by William Gedney Reatt>- of New 
York, great-grandson of Joseph Bull and Esther Gedney. 

BUNCE. 

Two stones in this family grouj) had suffered serious injury, involving the loss 
of nearly the entire face. Tliose of Mr. Thomas Bunce, died 17 11, ae. 36, and his 
daughter, Mrs. Su.sanna Ilosmer, died 1738, ae. 36, each had an entire front of the 
stone com]X)sition applied, and the handsome carving and original in.scription 
( Hoadley li.st) was faithfully reproduced. 

The descendants who contributed toward the expense of restoration and preser- 
vation of these Bunce stones were : 

Hunce, Mr. Edward M., Hartford 

liuiice, Mr. Jonathan Brace, ........ Hartford 

Riuu-e, Mr. John Lee Hartford 

Welch, Mrs. .Xrchiliald .\ Hartford 

The Ruth W'yllxs Cha]Jter made u]i the lialance. 

BURNHAM. 

A headstone to Mrs. Lois Burnham was dug up from quite a depth under- 
ground ; as it is not in the list of stones standing in 1833, its interment had 
evidently been a long one. It was in excellent condition and received the 
preser\-ing treatment. 

BURR. 

A number of headstones commemorate three successive generations of the Burr 
family, with various members. 

Three descendants contributed toward the expense of restoration and preserva- 
tion, most of which was borne by the Ruth Wyllys Chapter. 

Barnes, General Alfred C, Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Barnes, Mr. Henn.- Burr New York City 

Barne.s, Mr. Richard, New York City 

BUTLER. 

Two marble headstones to Moses Butler, died 1801, ae. 86, and vSarah, died 
1 813, ae. 84, were cared for by a great-granddaughter : 

McCook. Mrs. John J. (I'Uiza Sheldon Butler) Hartford 

CADWELL. 

Two headstones to Edward Cadwell, died 1751, ae. 70, and wife, Deborah Bunce 
(daughter John and Mary (Barnard) Bunce), died 1772, ae. 85. 
Done by descendant ; 

Woodward, Mr. Joseph C. Hartford 



30 U/:STO/fAT/0\ OF Till: ASCIEXT nrRYIXG-CROUND 

CALDWELL. 

In (jiiite a Rroup of stones to this family we find a headstone to John Caldwell 
(father of Major John), died 1758, ae. 24. This was in an advanced stage of decay, 
and its entire front is a reprodnction of its original beautiful design faithfully- 
copied. This restoration was done 1)\- Major John Caldwell Parsons, not a 
descendant, hut in memory of his mother's step-father. Major John Caldwell, for 
whom he was named. Mrs. William Brown, the grandmother of Major Parsons, 
was the .second wife of Major Caldwell. 

All the other Caldwell .stones were put in perfect order 1)> Mrs. Samuel Colt, 
whose hu.sband was grandson of Major John Caldwell and wife, Margaret Collyer 
(daughter of Captain Hezekiah and Ilepzibah ( Wadsworth ) Collyer), died 1799, 
ae. 40. A table-.stone marks the grave of the latter : this for a long period was 
unrecognizable, as the inscription was on an inserted marble tablet which had 
become illegible. For .some unexplained reason this monument was known as the 
" Dr. Eliakim Fish stone," and as it was in urgent need of treatment, great efforts 
had been made to find .some P'ish descendants who would care for it, or give 
authorit}- to the Ruth Wyllys Cha])tcr. Major Par.sons had long looked for the 
.stone to Mrs. Margaret Caldwell, but in \ain, and it was given up as among the 
man\ that had succumbed to the destructive agencies. Later in our work, but 
unlorlunalely after Major Par.sons's death, the long-looked for moninnent was dis- 
covered, and a singular mistake disclo.sed. Our long search for a descendant of 
Dr. F'ish was rewarded, and a great-grandson. Dr. George C. Buell of Rochester, 
N. v., as soon as he learned of our work, ordered the tomb of his ancestor to be 
put in perfect repair. Innnediateh' the saving work was inaugurated, and our 
amazement was extreme to .see appear upon the tablet, when treated, two distinct 
words, " Mrs. Margaret," and a date. Evidently we were not at work on the stone 
of Dr. H)liakim Fish. A hurried trip to the Capitol and an investigation of Dr. 
Hoadley"s list re\ealed the welcome fact that " Mrs. Margaret" was the long-lost 
wife of Major Caldwell. The ei)itaph was secured, and the labor of restoring and 
preserving this moiuunent was vigorously prosecuted, this time under order of Mrs. 
Colt. We readily discovered the memorial to Dr. Fish, which was in close 
proximity, and which abso bore a marble tablet minus its lettering, but .similar 
treatment and a strong light thrown u])on it brought out the words " Dr. Eliakim " 
and also "Sarah." The exact epitaph was secured and faithfullj' inscribed, as in 
the other case. 

Mrs. Margaret Caldwell, who died 1799, ae. 40, has beside her six little chil- 
dren, ages recorded as one, three, four, one, three years, and one .six months. 
Near by lie also her mother, Jennett (Evans), and father, Hezekiah Collyer, with 
brothers and sisters. 

CHAPMAN. 

One headstone to Robert Chapman, who, a Deputy from .Sa>l)rook to the Gen- 
eral Court, died in Hartford, 171 1, ae. 6,^, was cared for by family representatives 
though not direct descendants : 

Dean, Mr.s. Howard Dudley ( Louise Chapman), .... Hartford 

Hiickinj;haiii, Mr.s. .Annie McLean Watertown, Conn. 

Chapman, .Mrs. Charles R Hartford 

Chapman, Mr. Robert H Hartford 

Chapman, Mr. Thomas Brownell Hartford 



.I.\7) Till. U'IDEXIXC Ol- COLP STREET. 



31 




John Cakiwcirs Stotic before Rcstot,iii< 




John Caldwell's Stone after Restoration. 18T>. 



32 K/:STOh\IT/(>X or the AXCIEXT hi RYlXG-CROrND 

CHURCH. 

One stone to Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of Jo.sei)h Churcli, died 1751, ae. 26, was 
done by : 

Churcli, Mr. I-"re<lerick K Hudson. N. Y. 

Not a descendant, hut of the .same Hne as Joseph, from Richard Church, an 
" Original Proprietor of Hartford." 

Mr. Church's contribution was of such generous proportion that a large balance 
was left after the Church stone was fini.shed, for the care of other memorials that 
remained unclaimed. 

COLLYER. 

The stones to Captain Hezekiah Collyer, died 1763, ae. 56, and Hepzibah 
Wadsworth, his wife (daughter of Sergeant Jonathan, son of Captain Joseph 
Wadsworth, and Hepzibah f Marsh) Wadsworth), who died, 1770, aged 58, were 
cared for by their great-great-great-grandchildren : 

Holconibe, Mr. John M Hartford 

John.son. Miss Rleanor, ........ Hartford 

Johnson, Miss Mabel, ......... Hartford 

The one to Mrs. Jennett ' Evans 1 Collyer, wife of Hezekiah, 2d, died, 1806, ae. 
75, was done by her great-granddaughters : 

Johnson, Miss Harriet, ......... Hartford 

Johnson, Miss Laura, ......... Hartford 

Johnson, Miss Sarah Hartford 

Hezekiah Collyer, 2d, was one of the founders of Christ Church. 
Several other Collyer stones were done by the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, authorized 
h\ the above family representatives. 

COOKE. 

Several stones done by descendants and the Ruth Wyllys Chapter : 

Gross, Mr. Charles E Hartford 

Knous, Mrs. Kranklin F. (Marj- A.) New Haven, Conn. 

Stanley. Mrs. Frederick N. (Alice Moore), . . New Britain. Conn. 

Mrs. Franklin F. Knous also gives in memory of her ancestors. Thomas Welles, 
Stephen Post, Captain Jo.seph Wadsworth and his wife Elizabeth Baniard. 

One stone to Moses Cooke, died, 1738, aged 38, was cared for by the following 
descendant : 

Welch, Rev. Moses Cooke, Hartford 

DAY. 

Coiitriljutions in memory of an "Original Proprietor and Founder of Hartford," 
Robert Day : 

Day, Mr. O. A., Saratoga Springs, N. Y. 

di Brazza-Savorgnan. Countess Detalmo (Cora .\. Sloconib), Italy 

di Brazza-Savorgnan, Contessina Ida .Anna, ...... Italy 

(Daughter of above and grandciauKhter ofMrs Slocotnb.) 
Sloconib, Mrs. Cuthbert H. (Abbie Day), .... Grotoii, Conn. 



.i.\/) rill: wini'.xixc of coi.n srh'i:i:r. 33 

DEMING. 

Ca])tain Powiial Deming (son of Rev. Daxiilaiul Mehitable Champion Deming), 
died 1795, aged 45, was an officer in the Revolutionary War. Enli.sting early, he 
wa.s at the battle of Bunker Hill, later at Monmouth and V'alley Forge. He was a 
member of the Cincinnati. Hi.s headstone had become so ven- .seriously damaged, 
that its entire destruction seemed unavoidable. In 1S95, Mr. Deming's great- 
grandson : 

Hoyl. Mr. Cli.is .\ Hrooklyii, X. Y. 

erected a granite shaft upon the grave of his ancestor between the deca\ing head 
and footstones. 

Upon learning of the work of regeneration undertaken bv the Ruth Wyllys 
Chapter in 1S95, he .so approved of the method, that he employed Mr. Caffall to 
fully restore the original Deming stones, and presene them all. He also made a 
generous contribution to the "General Fund for Improvement of the Ancient 
Cemeter>-." 

Mr. Hoyt's interest in this old ground had long been a welcome factor, and by 
his private contributions. Major Parsons, Chairman of the Ancient Cemeter\- 
Association, was enabled to do much more, each season, in the care of grass and 
walks than the meagre funds of the association would have permitted. 

DENISON. 

One headstone to the memory of the valiant Captain George Denison, died 
1694, ae. 74, was restored and preserved by descendants whose prompt contribu- 
tions exceeded the amount neces.sar>' for Captain Denison' s memorial, and a 
balance helped to swell the "Fund" to care for other less well-remembered 
monuments. 

Contributors. 

Beniis, Mrs. Rebecca Denison Island Point, Vt. 

Kenedict, Mrs. Fannie Tuttle, . • . . . Walerburj-, Conn. 

Cheney. Mrs. Louis R. (Marj'.\. Roliinson), .... Hartford 

Dayton, Mrs. Wallace K., ...... Plymouth, Conn. 

Denison, Mr. Adelbert S Boston, Ma.ss. 

Denison, Mr. Oscar \., ....... Bennington, Vt. 

Dennison, Mr. Elias B. and Hamily Portland, Me. 

Dennison, Captain George, ....... Portland, Me. 

Denni.son, Mr. Isaac A., Mechanic's Falls, Me. 

Dixon, Miss Elizabeth L., . . . . . . . Hartford 

Perkins. Miss .\lice M., ....... Winsted. Conn. 

Perkins, Mrs. Alice M. Denison New Haven, Conn. 

Perkins, Mr. Kdward S., . . . . New Haven, Conn. 

Perkins, Mr. Oscar F., ...... . Winsted, Conn. 

Roberts, Mrs. Harvey L., . . . Winsted, Conn. 

Robinson. Miss F.liza Tnunbull, ....... Hartford 

Robinson, Hon. Henrj- C, . . Hartford 

Shipnian, Mrs. Nathaniel (Marj- Robinson), ..... Hartford 

Tuttle, Mrs. Annie Beniis, ....... Winsted, Conn. 

Tultle, Mr. Edward L., ...... . Waterbun.-, Conn. 

Welling, Mrs. James C. (Clementina L. Dixon), .... Hartford 

Woodward, Mrs. P. H., Hartford 



34 a-/:s/(>a:it/o.v of the axciest buryisc-ckousd 

DORR. 

Table-stone to the memory of Rev. litlward Dorr, died 1772, ae. 50, and wife, 
Helena, daughter of Gov. Talcott. As there were no descendants, the First 
LMuirch, of which he was pastor twenty-five years, ver>' promptly cared for his 
memorial. After his death his widow married Rev. Robert Breck, Springfield, 
Mass. She died 179S, ae. 7S. 

EDWARDS. 

Two headstones, one to Richard Edwards, died 17 iS. ae. 71, ;ind another to his 
wife, Marj', died 1723, ae. 62, and his son Sanmel, died 1732, ae. 30, done by 
descendants : 

(Uazier. Mrs. I-"raiik D. ( Kiiiily Williams) anil I'amily. So. tilaslonbiiry. Conn. 
Welch, Mrs. Lewis S. (Marj' Williams) and Family. New Haven. Conn. 
Williams, Mrs. Iternard T. ( Frances Welcli ) and I'amily, Hartford 

Williams, Mr. Georjje Goodwin, Hartfonl 

For "Families" see Goodwin list. 

EGGLESTON. 

One head.stone to Kliliu Kggle.ston, died 1803, ae. 5y, done l)y descendant : 
Stokes, Miss Olivia Eggleston Phelps New York City 

ENSIGN. 
Stone of Moses Ensign, died 1751, ae. 45, done by : 

Ensign, Mr. Charles S., ....... Niwton, .Ma.ss. 

Stone of Lucretia Ensign, wife of Thomas, died 1791, ae. 21, done bj' : 
.Mhrcc. Mr. Jdlm, Jr.. ........ Boston, Mass. 

Other stones done by the Ruth \\'\llys Chapter. 

FISH. 

A table-stone to Dr. Eliakim Fish,* died 1H04, ae. 63, and wife, Sarah, died 
1803, ae. 66, done b>- great-grandson : 

Buell, Dr. George C Rochester, N. Y. 

Dr. Fish's only child, Becca, married Je.s.se Root, son of Hon. Jes.se Root, of 
Coventry and Hartford. 

A marble headstone to Mrs. Huldah (Corning) Fish, wife of Miller Fish, was 
badly defaced. She died 1806, ae. 41, leaving eight children. 

Two descendants have been interested in its restoration : 

Fish, Miss Hnldah Hartford 

Whcatdii. Mrs. Charles, Anrora, 111. 

GARDINER. 

The sarcophagus to David Gardiner, died i68g, ae. 54, is one of the oldest as 
well as one of the most interesting in the yard, and is almost invariably inquired 

• See Caldwell. 



./.w Till uini:.\i.\(; (II- (.(>!. n sikKi-T. 35 

for by strangers. The following (jiiaint inscription gives in dramatic terseness the 
story of his sudden demise, while serving as Depulv to the (iencral Court of 
Hartford. 

"HERE LVETH THE nODY OF MK. DAVID GARDINER OF GARDINER'S ISLAND. 

DECEASED JII.V lOTH, l68g IN THE FIFTV-FOrRTH YEAR OF HIS AGE. 

WELL — SICK — DE.VD — IN ONE HOUR'S SPACE. 

Engrave tin.' rcnu'iiihrance of Death on thine heart. 
When as thow <l()st see how swiftly hours depart. 

BORN AT SAYBROOK, APRIL 29. 1636. 

THE FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN IN CONNECTICUT." 

This tomb was put in perfect order by a descendant : 

(iardiner. Mr. Jonathan Ka.st Hanijiton, L. I. 

I^ater subscriptions were received in memory of this ancestor from ; 

Osborn, Mrs. n. Fairfield I I.ncretia I'erry I. . . New York City 

Perry. General .Mexander J Washington, I). C. 

William Oardiuer, died 1766, ae. 24, was one oftho.se killed in the schoolhouse 
explosion. His wife was Eunice Belden, .sister of Ruth Belden, who became 
" Ruth Wyllys," and daughter of Col. Thomas and Rttth (Wyllys) [Lord] Belden, 
of Wether.sfield. One son died unmarried. He was a son of John and Mary 
(Taylor) Gardiner, of Boston Neck, Narragansett, and nephew of Rev. Dr. 
MacSparran, of Narragansett, prominent Church-of-England people. He was 
buried with the service of this Church, the Rev. Mr. Peters, rector of Hebron, 
officiating. Hartford at that time had no parish of the Church of England. The 
Rev. William Gibbs, the first rector of St. Andrew's Parish, of Sim.sbury, came 
occa.sionally to perform baptisms, and later Rev. Roger \'iets was made 
rector of this Church, which was the first Episcopal parish in this part of Con- 
necticut. 

The Ruth Wyllys Chapter cared for this stone. 

GILBERT. 

Two -stones to Cornet Jonathan Gilbert, died 1682, ae. 64, and wile, Mary 
Welles, died 1 700, ae. 74, done by descendants : 

Clarke, Mrs. L. Ward ( Mary Hall ) Rochester, N. Y. 

Gilbert, Mr. Charles E Hartfor<i 

Gilbert, Dr. vSamuel D New Haven, Conn. 

Hall. Mrs. John Meigs Hartford 

TuUer, Mrs. Charles D Hartford 

GOODRICH. 

One stone to Mrs. Abigail, first wife of Lieut. Gov. Chauncey Goodrich, died 
1778, ae. 24, (daughter of Deacon vSolomon and Abigail (Talcott) Smith). 



36 K/:STOh'.lT/oy OF THE AXClESr HI h'YIXCCROUND 

One relative contributed towards its ])reservati<in, the Rutli Wyllys Chapter 
assuming most of the expense. 

Curtis, Mrs. Lucius y. (IviiiilyChaiiiui'y) Ilarlford 

GOODWIN. 

Several Goodwin stones were restored and preserved by descendants. Among 
them a very old one to Sarah, first wife to Nathaniel 2(Ozias i) Goodwin, and 
daughter of John and Hannah Coles, died 1676, ae. 29. Her .sister, Hannah 
Coles, died 1689, ae. 45, wife of Hon. Caleb .Stanley, was tniricd near, and htr 
stone also survives. 

Many members of this numerous family were buried in the ground upon which 
the Waverly building now stands, and some stones were destroyed to accommo- 
date this large .structure, the entire cellar of which was part of the original 
cemetery, where hundreds of Hartford's early citizens were laid, not, alas ! in their 
"last" resting-place. 

To the fir.st Ozias Goodwin, one of the Original Proprietors of Hartford, and 
founder of the Goodwin family in this part of the country, born 159S, died 1683, 
and Mary Woodward, his wife, died before i6<S3, a memorial headstone has been 
erected. It is of brown stone most carefully .selected, "cutoiiitsownba.se" and 
carved in design of the 17th century, copied from an ancient .stone bearing date of 
death nearly the same as that (jf Ozias Goodwin. 

Many descendants thus paid respect to the founder of this family in America, 
by contributing to this memorial. 

Contributors. 

Baldwin, Miss .\nna Goodwin, liryn Mawr, Pa. 

Baldwin, Miss Florence, Bryn Mawr, Pa. 

Baldwin, Mrs. Julia S. R Brj'n Mawr, Pa. 

Braincrd, Miss Helen Berlin, Conn. 

Bulkley, Mrs. Justus iMarj- Adams), Rye, N. Y. 

Cameron, Mrs. Charles R. (Mabel Ward), Hartford 

Carrinjfton, Mr. George M., Winsted, Conn. 

Clement, Miss Margaret Goodwin. Rutland, Vt. 

Clement. Mrs. Percival W. (Maria H. Goodwin), . Rutland. Vt. 

Colt, Jlrs. Samuel C. (Marj- Goodwin), . . . Fanninj^ton, Conn. 

Cone, Miss Clara M. , . . , . Hartford 

Cone, Mr. Harry F., ......... Hartford 

Cone, Miss Lilian C Hartford 

Curtis, Rev. Lucius Q Hartford 

DwiKlit, Mrs. Henr\- C, Jr. (Kdith Ward) Hartford 

Galpin, Miss Ruth, ........ Berlin, Conn. 

Glazier, Mrs. Frank I). (Family Williams), . . So. Glastonbun.-, Conn. 

Glazier, Mr. Franklin Williams. .... So. Glastonbury-, Conn. 

Glazier, Miss Mary Edwards. ..... So. Glastonbur)-, Conn. 

Glazier, Mr. Philip .-Mden So. Glastonburj', Conn. 

Glazier, Mr. William Stuart So. Glastonburj', Conn. 

Goodwin, Miss Alice Fenwick (Mrs. Benjamin W. Morris, Jr.), New York City 
Goodwin, Miss .\nna M.. ......... Hartford 

Goodwin. Miss Carolyn \.. . . . . Hartford 

Goodwin, Mr. Charles .•Vrchibald, ....... Hartford 

Goodwin, Mr. Charles Lincoln, ....... Hartford 

Goodwin, Mr. F^dwin Pratt, ...... New York City 

Goodwin, Miss Elizabeth Williams, ...... Hartford 

Goodwin, Rev. Francis, ......... Hartford 



./.\T) •/■///;■ W ID EX IXC OF GOLD STRIIET. 

Goodwin, Mr. I'rancis Spencer, Hartford 

Cioodwin, Mr. ('.eor^e Kussell Hartford 

(ioodwin. Miss Harriet Hartford 

Goodwin, Miss Harriet L., Hartford 

(ioodwin. Miss Harriet Louise, New York City 

Goodwin, Miss Harriet T., Hurnside, Conn. 

(ioodwin, Mr. Howard, ........ Hartford 

Goodwin, Rev. James, ....... Hartford 

Goodwin. Mr. James J., Hartford 

Goodwin, Mr. James Lester, ..... Hartford 

(ioodwin, Mr. James Lijjpincott, ...... New York City 

(ioodwin, Miss Jeannette, ........ Hartford 

Goodwin, Mr. Lester H., Hartford 

(ioodwin, Mr. Philip Lippincott, New York City 

Goodwin, Miss Sarah Morjjan (Mrs. Henry S. Robinson), . Hartford 

Cioodwin, Mr. Walter Lippincott, ....... Hartford 

(ioodwin, Mr. William. ........ Hartford 

Haskell, Mrs, Kittie Selden Cook, Hartford 

Holcombe. Miss Kmily Marguerite, ....... Hartford 

Holcombe. Mr. Harold (ioodwin. ....... Hartford 

Holcombe, Mrs. John M. (Emily S. Cioodwin), .... Hartford 

Holcombe, Master John Marshall, Jr. , Hartford 

Jackson, Mrs. Cyrus F. (Jessie Keyes Anthony), . . Rockville, Conn. 
Jackson, Miss Katherine Seymour. .... New York City 

MacWhorter, Mrs. G. G. (Sarah Deborah .\danis), . . Augu.sta, (ia. 

Moore, Miss Anna Welles, ....... Hartford 

Parker, Mrs. John Dwif^ht (Caroline A. (ioodwin), .... Hartford 

Pelton, Miss Edith Chester Hartford 

Peltun. Mr William Horace. ...... Hartford 

Pelton, Mrs. William N. (Julia G. Stillman), .... Hartford 

Perkins, Mrs. George C. (Mary Roberts), Hartford 

Perry, Mrs. Alexander J. (Josephine Adams), Washington, D. C. 

Pinne)', Mrs. Maria Watson, ....... Derby, Conn. 

Pitkin, Mrs. Albert Palmer (Louise Goodwin ) Hartford 

Prescott, Mrs. William H. ( Cclia (i. ) Rockville, Conn. 

Rodgers, Mrs. Elizabeth S., . . . Philadelphia, Pa. 

Smith, Mrs. Charles H. (Jane T. Hills) Hartford 

Stillman, Miss Marjorie Goodwin, ...... Hartford 

Sturges, Mrs. Henry C. (.Sarah Adams) Fairfield, Conn. 

Talcott, Mr. George S. , New Britain, Conn. 

Talcott, Miss Mary Kingsbury, Hartford 

Tompkins, Mrs. Charlotte Merrill, Newport, R. L 

Tompkins, Mr. Hamilton B , . . . Newport, R. I. 

Ward, Mrs. Austin M. (Delia B.) Hartford 

Ward. Mr. James A, Hartford 

Welch, Miss Family Williams, New }iaven. Conn. 

Welch, Mrs. Lewis S. ( Mary Stuart Williams), New Haven, Conn. 

Williams, Mrs. Bernard T. ( Frances (ioodwin Welch), Hartford 

Williams, Miss Elizabeth Trumbull, Hartford 

Williams, Miss Frances Welch Hartford 

Williams, Mr. George Cioodwin, Hartford 

Williams, Miss Margaret Huntington, ...... Hartford 



37 



vSloiie.s of Hannah (joochviii, died 1.S05, ae. 48, and her infant son. Manning 
Goodwin, done hy her descendant : 



Dickerson, Mrs. Mary A. Foster, 



Hartford 



38 h-F.srORArrON OF THE ASCIENT BUR YING-C ROUND 

HAMLIN. 

One Iieadstone to Giles Hamlin, died 171 2, ae. 21, done by descendants: 

Jackson, Mr. Charles E, . JlicUUetowii, Conn. 

Pelton, Mr Charles A., ...... Middletown, Conn. 

HAYNES. 

A brown table-stone is the memorial to a man conspicuous in colonial history 
wlu) "l)uilde(l better than he knew," John IIa\iies, " One of the Three Illustrious 
Kramers of the fir.st Written Constitution creating a Government upon which 
were based the Principles of American Constitutional Liberty.'" He was 
Governor of Ma.ssachusetts in 1635, and such was his ability that threat efforts 
were made to retain him, and that conspicuous body of men known later as the 
"Hooker Company," in the Massachusetts Colony. Cotton Mather says that 
" Massachusetts was suffering more from poverty of men than anything el.se" 
at that time. No overtures could however serve to retain them, and we all know 
of the June pilgrimage in 1636. John Haynes was the first Governor of Con- 
necticut, 1639, and continued in office every eligible year until his death, 1654. 
(The law prevented consecuti\e terms.) 

This stone and another memorialize three generations of the Haynes family. 
Both have been put in perfect order and preserved by the descendants, who.se 
responses were most prompt and generous. 

The Memorial Gateway to Governor Haynes, given by the Misses Olivia and 
Caroline Phelps Stokes, of New York, is fully described in the Regent's report. 

The Governor Haynes table monument and other Haynes memorials were 
done by the following descendants : 

Bliss, Mr. John Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Cheney, Miss Alice B, So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cheney, Miss HIiza Trumbull, Hartford 

Cheney, Col. Frank Woodbridge and I'aniily, . . So. Manchester. Conn. 

(See WyUys List.) 
Cheney, Col. Louis Richmond, ....... Hartford 

Cheney, Miss Marj', So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cooley, Dr. George Pitkin New Britain, Conn. 

Darling, Gen. Charles W t'tiea, N. Y. 

Day, Miss Alice Hooker, Hartford 

Day, Miss Caroline K., ...... Hartford 

Day, Mr. John C. . . Hartford 

Day, Miss Katherine Seymour, Hartford 

Ferguson, Mrs. Walter, ........ .Stamford, Conn. 

Gamiany, Mrs. Howard H. (Caroline 1). Bissell) Hartford 

Hathaway, Miss Jeannette Rochester, N. Y. 

Hathaway, Miss Mary L., Rochester, N. Y. 

Hicks, Mrs. Lewis \V. (Elizabeth Hibbard Barrett), . Hartford 

Hooker, Mrs. lid ward \V. (Marj' Mather Turner), .... Hartford 

Hooker, Miss Rosalie Hartford 

Jackson, Miss Ivlizabeth Huntington Wolcott, . New York City 

Jackson, Mrs. Joseph C. (Katherine Perkins Dayt, New York Citj' 

Jackson, Mr. Joseph Cook, Jr., New York City 

Jackson, Mr. John Day, ........ New York City 

Jackson, Miss Katherine Seymour New York City 



.l\/> rill: HI niiNING OF (;{)l.n STREET. 39 

Lee, Mrs. Charles N. (Harriet Wells) New York City 

Lord, Rev. A. M., Proviilence, R. I. 

Lord, Mr. and Mrs. John Haynes, Sonierville, N. J. 

Maynard, Mrs. John V. (Mary A. Beardsley) Utica, N. Y. 

Perkins, Mr. Kdvvard Carter, Hartford 

Perkins, Mr. Henry .Xujjustus Hartford 

Perkins, Miss Mabel Harlakciidcii, Hartford 

Seymour, Mi.ss Kniily, Hartford 

Seymour, Prof. Thomas Day New Haven, Conn. 

Stokes, Mr. .Xnson Phelps, New York City 

Stokes, Miss Caroline Phelps, New York City 

Stokes, Miss Olivia E. Phelps New York City 

Talcott, Miss Mary Kinjrsbury Hartford 

Taylor, Miss Gertrude Sandusky, Ohio 

Taylor. Mr. James P Hartford 

Terry, Miss luinice New York City 

Terry, Mr. Frederick P.. New York City 

Terry, Mr. John T New York City 

Terry, Mr. John T., Jr New York City 

Terry, Mr. John T., 5d, New York City 

Terry, Jliss Mary Halstead New York City 

Terry, Rev. Roderick, New York City 

Terry, Mr. Roderick, Jr New York City 

Turner, Mrs. Charles P. (Julia Francis Mather), Philadelphia, Pa. 

Wells, Miss Julia Chester New York City 

White, Mi.ss, Stamford, Conn. 

Woolworth. Mrs. J. .^ Sandusky, Ohio 

HINSDALE. 

Three head.stones, Barnabas Hinsdale, born Feb. 20, 1668, died Jan. 25, 1725, 
ae. 58, Magdalen Hinsdale, wife of his grandson, Capt. Barnabas Hin.sdale, who 
served in the Revolution, died 1782, ae. 42 (daughter of Captain Jonathan and 
Mary (Bull) Sej'niour), and Experience, wife of Amos Hinsdale, died 1781, ae. 61. 

Restored and preserved by descendants : 

Bollman, Mrs. George, Westchester, Pa. 

Butier. Mr. Henry, Gemiantown, Pa. 

Butler, Mr. Henry, Jr., Gemiantown, Pa. 

Butler, Mr. Louis Gennantown, Pa. 

Butler, Miss Sarah L., Westchester, Pa. 

De Con, Mrs. James, Trenton, N. J. 

Hastings. Mrs. J. M., Westchester, Pa. 

Hinsdale, Mi.ss Cornelia G Lakewood. N. J. 

Hinsdale, Jliss Harriet JL, Blandford, Mass. 

Hinsdale, Mr. Horace G.. Lakewood, N. J. 

Hinsdale, Mr. James C Meriden, Conn. 

Hinsdale. Miss Louise G., Lakewood, N. J. 

Hinsdale, Mr. William E Blandford, Mass. 

Van Harlingen, Mrs. .Arthur Philadelphia, Pa. 

Van Harlingen, Mr. J. Martin Philadelphia, Pa. 

Whitint,'. Mrs. William Bryn Mawr, Pa. 

Whitney. Mr. Charles H Philadelphia, Pa. 



40 Rf:srOJi AT/ON OF THE ASCIENT RURYINC-GROUND 

HOLTOM. 

One Stone to Deacon Joseph Holtoni, died 1770, ae. 77, was done by descend- 
ants, the fund being raised bj- Miss Charlotte Goldthwaite. 

Gillett, Mrs. Arthur L. (Man.- Hradfiird Swift) Hartford 

Gillett, Mr. I'rederick Webster. Hartford 

Gillett, Mr. Robert Swift Hartford 

Oilman, Mr. George Hills, Hartford 

Gilinan, Miss Julia E. (Mrs. Walter H. Clark) Hartford 

Goldthwaite, Jliss Charlotte Hartford 

Goldthwaite, Miss Jane, Hartford 

Swift, Mrs. Rowland L Hartford 

Swift, Miss Sarah Howard Hartford 




Group of Stones Called " .\Mnistcrs' Group." after Restoration. 



HOOKER. 

Rev. Tliomas Hooker, died 1647, ^e. 61, the " Light of the Western Chnrclies." 
and leader of that matchless coterie of statesmen and citizens, lies probably under 
the northwest corner of the present church edifice (.statement of the late James 
H Hosmeri. His memorial, a brown table-stone, is among others forming an 
unusual group ; in close proximity we read illustrious names, and the historical 
scholar may well feel that here he treads upon holy ground. 

To honor this distinguished progenitor, his descendants gave so generously 
(as well as spontaneously) that not only was every stone bearing the name of 



./AV) Till WIPENING OF aQI.I> STREET. 41 

Hooker restored and preserved, but a balance left for the " General Fund." Some 
of these stones were Ijroken almost beyond recognition, and required an entire 
front. Small portions of cannng remained to show the design, and the epitaphs 
were secured from the Hoadley li.st. 

Contributors, 
liovviiian. Miss Clara Lee, ....... Bristol, Conn. 

Hownian, Mrs. (ieorge R. (Adalinc I". Hill), .... Bristol, Conn. 

Da}', Mi.ss .Mice Hooker, ........ Hartford 

Day, Mrs. John C, . . . . Hartford 

Day, Jliss Katherinc Scynionr, ....... Hartford 

Downes, Mr. William !•".,. . . . New Haven, Conn. 

Gillette, Mr. William New York City 

Hill, Mrs. William (Nancy Hooker), ..... Bristol, Conn. 

Hooker, Dr. Edward Beecher, ....... Hartford 

Hooker, Miss Helen Frances, ........ Hartford 

Hooker, Mr. Edw-ard Williams, ....... Hartford 

Hooker, Miss Isabel, . . . . . . Hartford 

Hooker, Mr. John, Hartford 

Hooker, Mr. Joseph Kilbourn, ....... Hartford 

Hooker, Mrs. Martha W Hartford 

(Widow of Bryan E. Hooker, who was a descendant.) 
Hooker, Miss Ro.salie, ......... Hartford 

Hooker. Mr. Thomas Hartford 

Hooker, Mr. Thomas Williams, ....... Hartford 

Hotclikiss, Mrs. S. M., New Haven, Conn. 

Lull. Mrs. Edward P. (Emma G.) Washington, D. C. 

Merrill, Mrs. F. J. H. (Winifred Egerton), . Albany, N. Y. 

Mitchell, Mr. Charles E Nyack, N. Y. 

Newton, Jlr. Henry G., ...... New Haven, Conn. 

Peck, Miss Lucy .Anna, ....... Meriden, Conn. 

Street, Mrs. Samuel H., ...... New Haven, Conn. 

Talcott, Jlr. Charles Hooker Hartford 

Talcott, Mrs. Sarah A., Hartford 

( widow of Setli Talcott. who was a descendant. ) 
Woodward, Mr. Joseph Hooker, Hartford 



HOPKINS. 

One stone to Mrs. Sally Hoi)kins, wife of Daniel, died 1796, ae. 29, done by 
descendants : 



Butler. Mrs. Albert L. (Frances Clark). 
Clark, Mr. Charles Hopkins. 



Hartford 
Hartford 



Other Hopkins stones were done by the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, authorized by 
above family representatives. 

HOSMER. 

Deacon Stephen Hosmer, died 1693, 3^. 49, and his son's wife, Su.sanna, died 
1738, ae. 27, and his children Mary, Sarah, and Stephen, were done by his 
descendants : 



Bennett, Mrs. Jane S., 
Pember, Mrs. E. H., . 
Tracy, Mrs. Jessie Nevers, 
Whittelsey, Mrs. J. A., 



Hartford 
Hartford 
Hartford 
Hartford 



42 RESTORATION OF THE ANCIENT nrRYING-GROUND 

Thomas Hosmer, died 1687, ae. 83, and wife, Frances, died 1675, ae. 75, done 
by descendant : 

KfUogg, Mrs. Stephen \V., Waterbury, Conn. 

HOWARD. 
One stone to John Howard, died 1804, ae. 35, done by descendant : 

Collins, Mr. Howard, Hartford 

HUBBARD. 

One stone to Mrs. Cornelia (Willis) Hubbard, wife of Nehemiah Hubbard, of 
Middletown, died 1781, ae. 28. An infant child died two days pre\ious to Mrs. 
Hubbard's death ; they were probably interred together. 

Done by descendants : 

Ford, Mrs. G. Tod 

Parsons, Mr. Sainnel, ........ New York City 

This stone is one of the remarkable examples of what has been accomplished 
in restorinsj stones that seemed past redemption. Let it be borne in mind that in 
every case the reproduction is perfect, and the inscription exact, being taken from 
\.hG facsimile copies made in 1870. 

HUDSON. 

One marble head.stone to Mrs. Maria Trumbull Hudson, died 1S05, ae. 21, 
wife of Mayor Henry Hudson, and daughter of his Excelkncy, the second Gov- 
ernor Trumbull, and Eutiice Backus, his wife. 

Contributors. 
Dana, Mrs. James D. (Henrietta Sillinian), . . Xew Haven, Conn. 

Hubbard, Prof. Oliver P New York City 

( In memory of his wife. Faith Trumbull Silliman. ) 

Mrs. Dana and Mrs. Hubbard were si.sters, and nieces of Mrs. Maria Trumbull 
Hudson, who, with Mrs. (Professor) Silliman and Mrs. Daniel Wadsworth, were 
the tliree daughters of the second Governor Trumbull. Mrs. Hudson died at the 
early age of 21, and is thus described by a contemporary (manuscript poem sup- 
posed to be by Mr. Charles Sigourney, in possession of Miss Mary K. Talcott 1 : 

" Light as the gossamer, with fairy feet, 
Maria moves, with gracefulness replete. 
Artless as truth she seems — and oft bestows 
The modest smile, which softens as she goes." 

JONES. 

Aniasa Jones, died 1785, ae. 57, and Hope, his wife, died 179S, ae. 63. Daniel 
Jones, died 1802, ae. 46, and Olive Tinker, his wife, died 17S8, ae. 27. Stones 
done by descendants : 

needier, Mrs. Thomas K. (Julia Jones), .... Klmira, N. Y. 

Day, Miss Mary Elizabetli, ...... New Haven, Conn. 

Day, Mr. Robert W., Buffalo, N. Y. 

Day, Miss .Susan M., ........ New Haven, Conn. 

Jones, Mrs. Daniel (Harriet A.), Chicago, III. 

Thacher, Mr. Thomas, ....... New York Citv 



./A7; /■///•; ii7/^/:x/xc oFdOLi) sTh'/i/rr. 43 

KNEELAND. 

A beautitul headstone of Tt-iiiiessec inarblc, of colonial design, was, in igoi, 
erected to the memory of Ebenezer Kneeland, died 17S6, ae. 33, and ICli/aheth 
Sedgwick, his wife, died 1802, b)' their two great-granddaughters : 

Kneeland, Miss Adele, New York City 

Monroe, Mrs. Henry W. (Alice Taintor Kneeland), . . New York City 

KNOWLES. 

Two stones. Captain John Rnowles, died 1734, ae. 64, and Rachel Olcott, his 
wife, died 1739, ae. 38 ; restored by descendant : 

Maynanl, Mrs. John 1". (Mary .\. Beardsley), . . . Utica, N. Y. 



m) 




Stone l'nri.-coj;niz,iWc. IJentifieil .is ili.u of Austin Lcily.ird. IK')".. 
LAWRENCE. 
Two stones to Mr. John Lawrence, died 1802, ae. 84, Treasurer of Connecticut, 
and Margaret Chenevard, his wife, died 1775, ae. 49, were restored and preserved 
by their great-granddaughter : 

Sheldon, Miss .\licia .\danis.* New Britain, Conn. 

There are a ntiniber of stones in this family grou]>, composed of Cheiievards 
and Beauchamps, done l)y the Ruth W'yllys Chapter. 

LEDYAKD. 

Among the Ledyard stones is one, the restoration of which I will give as an 
example of what it has been possible to accomplish with the assi.stance of Dr. 
Hoadley's li.st of inscriptions. In the early part of our work I had been obliged 
to report, upon iuqtiiry for the .stone of Mr. Austin Ledyard, died 1776, ae. 25, 
that it could not be found, and was among those destroyed in recent years. There 
was one wreck, only one-third of which was standing, the upper portions lying in 

* Named for her limndniotlier. .Micia .\(Jaiiis. the betrotlied wife of Nathan Hale. 



44 



h'/:sTOR AT/OX OF rill-: axcii.si lirnyisii-ckiuwn 



fragments u{X)n the ground, that constantly attracted my attention and aroused 
my curiosity. Long past recognition, no one would have thought in tlie beginning 
of our work of doing anything with such a broken mass, but the very difficulties 
of such a task aroused intense interest, and stimulated my energies as to what 
might be done. I'pon examination of Dr. Hoadley's list. I was delighted to find 
it was the memorial, for which I had been hunting the yard through, to Mr. 
Austin Ledyard. The original inscription was copied, and then came the problem 
of the original design : carefully all the fragments were lifted from the ground, 
cleaned, and on an adjoining table were laid out ; slowly the various parts were 
sorted and fitted ; little portions of carving, the end of an angel's wing, a bit of 




1 ^AU.lUl'S SlimC Aflfi KoSliil.ltiiMl, ruHi. 



the cherub's crown, gave a complete clue to the original, and now a prefect 
reproduction of the memorial to Austin Ledyard marks his resting spot, and 
moreover shows the power of redemption as exemplified in the earnest and pains- 
taking work in the old burying-ground. 

A table-stone to John Ledyard bears the date, died 1771, ae. 71, and in an open 
space below we had inscribed, with authority of a descendant, the record of his 
wife: Mary, wife of John Ledyard. daughter of John Austin and Mary Stanley, 
and formerly wife of John Elkry, died 1797, ae. 82. 

Jcihn and Mary Ledyard were ancestors of a distinguished progeny, among 
them the brave Colonel William Ledyard whose tragic murder. September 7, 1781, 
at the hands of an English officer, marked an almo.st une>;anij)led violation of 
international honor. 

Another son, Dr. Nathaniel Ledyard, son of John Ledyard and his first wife, 
Deborah Youngs, died 1766, ae. 26, was one of the victims of the schoolhouse 
explosion. In May, 1766, the Colonies were rejoicing over the repeal of the .Stamp 
Act. A great celebration was in progress in Hartford, the evening to witness 
illuminations and the display of fireworks. These, with quantities of powder. 



.'/A'/) ■/'///. ir//>j:x/X(; OF (,■(>/./> s7u/:/:r. 45 

were stored in the schoolhniise. Accidentally ignited, a frightful explosion 
followed, which killed and wounded twenty-seven persons. The epitaph on Dr. 
Ledsard's tomb, a .sort of ixislliunious soliloquy 1)\' the gentk-man liiniSL-lf gives a 
([uaint rendering : 

■ Just wIkm iklivtrtd from her 1>roodin>; fears 

My cheerful country \vi])c<l away her tears 

Materials urouj^ht the jiublic joy to aiil 

With (lire ex])losioii snapped my vital thre.ad. 

And life's rich /est — the bliss of heinj; free 

I'roved the sad cause of bitter death to nie." 

Dr. Ledyard left a widow, Hepzibah, daughter of Captain Thomas and 
Hepzibah (Merrill) Seymour, and whose second husband was John Skinner, who 
died 1791, ae. 53. 

Descendants contributing : 

Cogswell, Mr. Ledyard, ........ Albany, N. \'. 

Fairchild, Mrs. Charles S. (Helen I,.), . New York City 

(loddard. Mrs. Elizabeth Cass I,edyard, Colorado Sprinijs. Col. 

I Iodide, Children of Ivlward H. and .\lice Cogswell 

Van Rensselaer Hodge, ...... I'liiladelphia, Pa. 

CortlaiKlt \'.^ii Rctissflat-r, ICdwani H,. Jr., Kallicniie Cogswell. Mar^aix-l Iv 
Hodge. Mrs. William 11. (Alice C. Weld). I'hiladelphia, Pa. 

I.edyard, Mr. Lewis Cass, ....... New York City 

Rice, Mrs. William ]!. ((Tertrude Stevens). .... New York City 

Stevens, Mr. AlexaiKler H., . . . . Lawrence, L. L 

Stevens, Mr. Byam K., . . New York City 

Stevens, Mr. Frederick W New \'ork City 

Van Rensselaer, Mr. .•\lexander, .... F'ort Washinjjton, Pa. 
Weld, Miss Mary E l'hiladel])hia. Pa. 

The contributions were so generous from the Ledyard descendants that the 
sum covered also the large expense of restoring and preserving a talile-.stone which 
had left upon it but one of three original tablets, and this to the memory of John 
K^llery, died 1746, ae. 36, first hu.sband of Mary Austin Ellery Ledyard, and her 
.son, John Ivllery 2d, died 1764, ae. 26, and his wife, Ivunice Hooker, died 1800, ae. 60. 
The problem as to the two lost tablets received much attention. It seemed probable 
that Mrs. Mary Austin Ellery erected it to her father, husband, and children, and 
that naturally the father's memorial occupied the upper tablet. In support of this 
reasoning, also, was the fact that when Mr. John Austin ,Stevens, of Newport, a 
descendant, visited Hartford, in 1858, Mr. James Hosmer .told him that boys had 
recently removed these tablets, and that it was called the "Austin Stone." 
There were those who recollected the outer design of the coat-of-arms cut upon 
the lozenge centre tablet, and as it was that of the ICner\-'s, their arms were 
engraved. As Mrs. Mary Austin Ellery became the .second wife of John Ledyard 
and the mother of a ninnber of the Ledyards, it seemed a happ\- appropriation of 
the excess of the Ledyard fund to perpetuate the memory of Mary Ledyard' s 
father, John Austin, a man of wealth and po.sition. 

Mrs. Mary Ann Ledyard Seymour (daughter of Col. William Ledj-ard), wife 
of Major Thomas Y. Seymour, left no direct descendants. Her stone was a 
very expensive one to treat, as the entire face fell oflf during the winters of i8g8 
and 1899, and the carving and inscriptions were elaborate. The restoration has 
been most satisfactory, and the expense met by the Ledyard fund. 



46 



u/:sT(iA\i77().y or riii: .\xcii:.\r niRyisc-cNorxn 

LEETE 



A small stone of rather unusual patlcrn marks the grave of Governor William 
Leete, died 1683. For many years this is said lo have disappeared until in 1830, 
after a diligent search, its resting-place was discovered well under ground. By 
iSg; it had become much disintegrated, and the restoration involved a considerable 
application of the stone composition, which matched so perfectly that when the 
carving was completed the result was very satisfactorj-. 



t' r, 



iC.: 


^^m 




1 


i 






1 



John ll.i\ ncs Lord anii Raclicl Loru sti-Mics ; iiicntiiicu tioni in. Ho.uiicy's List. 



The descendants who cared for this valued memorial were 



Collins, Mr. .Mwood, .... 

Collins, Miss Ellen. .... 

Collins, Miss Mary F., 
Cook, Miss Mary C. .... 
Dunham. Mrs. Samuel G. (Alice Collins). 
Howe, Mrs. Daniel R. (Henrietta Collins), 

Leete, Mr. Theodore W 

Palmer, Mrs. William H. (Frances Collins). 
Strong, Mrs. Maria R. Collins. . 
Winslow. Miss Mar\-, ... 



. Hartford 

Hartford 

. Hartford 

O.ssiuini;. N. Y. 

. Hartford 

Hartford 

S])rinj;field, Mass. 

Hartford 

. Hartford 

Weatogue (Sinisburj-), Conn. 



A granite shaft to the memory of Governor Leete was erected some years 
since, in expectation, probably, of the destruction of the original. 



.l.\/) /'///■: IViniiNlSC OF COI.I) STKEET. 



LORD. 



47 



Twenty iiKiiiorials to this wfll-known family have been restored and pre- 
served, mostly by descendants. The Ruth Wyllys Chapter made up the balance. 
As no monument existed to the founder of the family, Thomas I.ord, an "Orig- 
inal Proprietor," Mrs. John S. Camp, of Hartford, erected a headstone of antique 
desig^n and one most appro]iriate for the period, to the memory of Thomas Lord, 
born 15.S5, and Dorothv, his wife, born 1.SS5, died 1676. 

Toward the west of the yard stood two tall head.stones, bereft each of their mor- 
tuary record and adornment of ornate carvings. These proved to be those of Mr. 
John Haynes Lord, died 1796, ae. 72, and wife, Rachel Knowks (daughter of Cap- 




stones of John Haynes Lort) aw\ R.ichel Loril. .ifter Restoration, 
done hs' A\r. John ILiyncs Lord. 

tain John and Rachel (Olcott) Knowles), died 1S03, ae. 77. A communication to 
Mr. John Haynes Lord, of Somerville, X. J., brought a prompt and cordial response 
and an order to restore, at his expense, both stones in the best possible manner. 
(The accompanying cut shows the results.) 

The L,ord family occupied a prominent position in Hartford, and Lord's Hill 
was named for some of its representatives. 

Contributors. 

Bingham. Mr. William Cleveland. Ohio 

Bliss, Mr. John Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Bulkeley, Miss Elinor, Hartford 

Bulkeley, Master Houghton G., Hartford 



4S A'/LSTORAr/0\ OF THI- ANCIENT lUKYlNG-GROUND 

Bulkeley, Master Morgan C... J r Hartford 

Camp, Mrs. John S. (Susie Ilealy ) Hartford 

Cone, Mrs. Joseph H. ( Martha Ishani) Hartford 

Cooley, Dr. George Pitkin, ...... New Britain, Conn. 

Corning, Mr. John Jay, ......... Hartford 

I)uven])ort, Mrs. Cynthia, ..... Colorado Springs, Col. 

Hicks, Mrs. Lewis W. (Klizabeth Hibbard Barrett), . . Hartford 

Kellogg, Mrs. Stephen W. (Lucia Hosmer Andrews ) , Walerburj-, Conn. 

Lee, Mrs. William (Sara White), ..... Brookline, Mass. 

Lord, Rev. A. M., Providence, R. L 

I^ord. Mr. and Mrs. John Haynes, ..... Somer\ille, N. J. 

Maynard, Mrs. John P. (Mary A. Beardsley) I'tica, N. Y. 

Newell, Mrs. O. S. (Mary O.) Kenosha, Wis. 

Sabin, Mrs. N. Henrj- (Harriet G.), .... Willianistown, Mass. 

Salisbury, Mrs. Evelyn McCurdy, New Haven, Conn. 

Sexton, Mrs. Marj- Lord Hempstead, L. \. 

Stillnian, Miss Alice W., Hartford 

Tarbox, Mrs. Henry Fiske (Elizabeth Lord) Batavia, N. Y. 

Tallcott, Mr. Thomas H. Lord Glastonbury, Conn. 

Welles, Miss Julia Chester, New York City 

Wilcox, Mrs. William W Middletown, Conn. 

LYMAN. 
One Stone to Mrs. Martha Lyman, wife of Justin, died 1798, ae. 35, done by 
grcat-great-nephew of Mr. Justin Lytnan : 

Lyman, Mr. Theodore, ......... Hartford 

MARSH. 
Seven Marsh stones were entirely restored and preserved bj' descendants : 

Bishop, Mrs. H. A. (Ellen Marsh) Cleveland, Ohio 

Boardman, Mrs. S. J., ....... Newport, R. L 

Edmunds, Mrs. George L. (Susan Marsh), . Philadeljihia, Pa. 

Kellogg, Mr. C. H Cincinnati, Ohio 

Marsh, Mr. H. N Joliet, 111. 

Marsh, Mr. J. S., Springfield, Mass. 

Newman, Mr. J. L., for his granddaughter, Jane K. Lyman, Charlotteville, Pa. 

Richardson, Mrs. Caroline, East Billerica, Mass. 

Rodgers, Mrs. Talbot Mercer, Philadelphia, Pa. 

McLEAN. 

A table-.slone called the McLean memorial bears the inscription to three .sisters: 
Mrs. Susannah McLean, wife of Mr. Allen McLean, died 1741, ae, 30, Mrs. 
Margaret Chenevard, relict of Mr. John Michael Chenevard, died 17S3, ae. 76, 
and Mrs. Maryan Keith, relict first of Captain John Lawrence, second of Captain 
John Keith, died 1784, ae. 88. These were daughters of Mr. John Beauchamp. 

Restored and preserved by : 

McLean, Hon. George P Simsbury, Conn. 

A minature sarcophagus among the Caldwell stones has inscriptions in 
memory of two children, of different names and fathers but the same mother : 
Mary, daughter of John and Hannah (Slillman) Caldwell, died 1736, a.<;ed 2 years, 
and Allen McLean, died 1741, aged 3 years, son of Neil and Hannah (^Stillman) 
(Caldwell) McLean. 



AND THE WIDEN IXC OF COI.D STREET. 49 

This little sarcophagus was included in the group ^I'i Caldwell stones done by 
Mrs. Samuel Colt, but later two subscriptions were received from two little girls, 
in memory of the child bearing the same family name : 

McLean, Miss Marguerita Iv.. ...... Siiiisbury. Conn. 

McLean, Miss Marian K.. Simsbury, Conn. 

MORRISON. 

One headstone to Mrs. Anne Allwood Morrison, died 1763, ae. 64, wife of Dr. 
Normand Morrison, and formerly widow of Captain John Smith, of I.iveqjool, 
England, and later Hartford, done by descendants : 

Garrett, Mrs. John (Mary L.), Hartford 

Gray, Miss lUk-ii \V Ilartfiml 

Gray, Mr. John S Ilarlfonl 

Hapjjood, Mrs. Melvin IL, Hartford 

Le Roy, Mrs. Sarah J., Hartford 

Smith. Mr. Charles B Hartford 

Staunton, Mrs. Mary Gray, ........ Hartford 

Tracy, Mr. John F Hartford 

NICHOLS. 

One headstone to Cyprian Nichols, died 1756, ae. 84, done by descendants: 

Keach, Miss Agnes Morgan, ...... Washington, D. C. 

Robinson, Master Caldwell Colt New York City 

Robinson, Mrs. Charles L. V. (Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Heach |, New York City 

OLCOTT. 

To Mr. Frederick P. Olcott, President Central Trust Compan\-, New York, I 
bear a keen .sense ot gratitude. At the inaugural period of the restoration of the 
ancient .stones, a large contribution from this gentleman, with authority to expend 
it according to my own judgment, enabled me to use the Caffall method of restora- 
tion and preser\'ation, thus presenting an entirely new ]3rocess to the ])ublic. and 
making an experiment for ourselves of a power by which we could accomplish what 
had been deemed impossible. Every stone bearing the name of Olcott was by this 
process put in perfect order; one was the largest table-stone in the yard, and 
several other monuments also were restored (those having no descendants to 
prove claimants later on, being selected). With the encouragement following 
the success of this initi il work, we bravely pu.shed forward our rejtivenating 
mission. In this connection I recall with pleasure that, approaching the close 
of this work, there was need of a certain amount of money. I was most 
anxiotis to sign the contract which should complete the long labor, but a certain 
sum was lacking. Mr. Dudley Olcott, of Albany, (brother of Mr. Frederick P. 
Olcott,) happily at this juncture donated a generous sum (the exact figure that I 
needed I, and so in the clo.siug labors, as in the initial move, of this sacred work, 
were identified representatives of the good old Hartford name of Olcott. 

PANTRY. 

One headstone to John Pantry, died 1736, ae. 90, done by descendant: 
Talcott, Mr. Charles Hooker Hartford 



50 



A'/:sroA'.ir/ox of i he .ixc//:.\r niA'r/xc-ch'oixn 




Nathan Pa>'Son's Sti)nc before Restoration. 




Col. Nathan Payson*s Stone after Restoration. 
One of the first stones restored. 



.L\j) Till: uini-.MSc (>/■■ CO/./) s/ u/:/:t. 51 

PAYNE. 

Two stones to Benjaniiti Payne, died 1782, ae. 54, and wife, Rebecca, died 1786, 
ae. 51, done by descendants: 

Butler, Mrs. Albert L. ( Frances Clark ) Hartford 

Clark, Mr. Charles Hopkins, ........ Hartford 

PAYSON. 

One stone to Colonel Nathan Payson, died 1761, ae. 41, done bv : 

St. John's Lofljje of Free Masons No. 4, ..... Hartford 

(In honor of Colonel Pay.son as an i-arly inenibt-r. I'untls raised l>y Mr. Nelson Hinckley.) 

PITKIN. 

One small lieadstone, much sunken in tlie ,v;r<innd, with tlie lettering almost 
obliterated, marked the grave of a man ])r()mineiit in affairs in the early Colony, 
Attorney-General William Pitkin, who died 1694. The in.scription was re-cut, tlie 
exact lines being followed. This was one of the first stones to receive attention ; 
its destruction had evidently been looked upon as unavoidable, for by its side 
a headstone had been erected to William Pitkin by a descendant, Mr. William 
Pitkin, of Rochester, N. V., in 1857. Strange to say, this modern stone was 
disintegrating and would not last as long as the original. The work was authorized 
for the Ruth Wyllys Chai)ter to accoin])lish 1>y two descendants. Miss Mary K. 
Talcott and Mrs. John M. Holcombe, but later the privilege was accorded to 
another descendant : 

Pitkin, Mr. Albert H Hartford 

who desired to 'assume all re.sponsibilitN- of this and the iiuxlern memorial by 
its side. 

PRATT. 

An early stone bears the name of Hannah Pratt, wife of Daniel, died 1682, 
aged about 50. 

John Pratt, an Original Proprietor, left two sons, John and Daniel, and this 
stone of the latter's wife is the first in the yard recording any member of this 
family. As in several other cases, it is a wife who.se .stone has survived the lapse 
of years. Notice : 

Susanna, wife of Captain Thomas Hri,r„ 
Sarah, wife of Nathaniel Goodwin, 
Frances, wife of Thomas Hosmer, and 
Benedict.\, w'ife of Thomas Stanley. 

There are .several headstones to members of the Pratt famil\ done by following 
descendants : 

Girdner, Mrs. Atlela Pratt New York City 

Kennedy, Mrs. Elijah R. (Lucy Hrace Pratt), . . . Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Pratt, Miss Fannie Hartford 

Pratt, Dr. George K., New Orleans. La. 

Pratt, Mr. James C Hartfonl 

Pratt, Mr. James T Hartford 

Mi.ss Fannie Pratt also restored the stone of Mrs. Sarah Phelps, wife of 
Timothy Phelps, daughter of Daniel Pratt, who died 1758, in her 97th year. 



52 RESTORATION OF THE AXCIENT BIRYISCGROUND 

KICHARDS. 

A sarcophagus of very curious imporlcd stone bears a coat-of-arms and inscrip- 
tion to Hon. James Richards,* who was in Hartford as early as 1663. He was 
Commissioner of the United Colonies, and died 1680, ae. 47. He gave fifty 
pounds to the Latin School in Hartford. One danghtt-r, Jerusha, married Gov- 
ernor Salton.stall, and Klizaheth married John Davie. Harvard, 16S1, who succeeded 
in 1717 to the baronetcy of his grandfather. Sir John I)a\ie. of Creedy, Co. Devon. 
F-ngland. Elizabeth, Lady Davie, died at Creed >. 

The treatment was very difficult and expensive, but happily for the "General 
Fund." the expense was tjorne by descendants and a gentleman interested in the 
Chapter's .saving work : 

Brooker, Hon. Charles .■\. (not a descendant), . .\nsonia, Conn. 

Forrest, Mrs. Charles A. (Harriet Chandler). .... Hartford 

Morgan, Mrs. Junius S. (Josephine Perry), Princeton, N. J. 

Perrj', Gen. Alexander J., ...... Washington, D. C. 

SEYMOUR. 

Twenty Seymour stones have been rescued from various stages of decay ; 
several were badly broken, for, being situated very near tenement buildings, they 
had been subjected to singularly unplea.sant treatment. Some were so disin- 
tegrated as to be unrecognizable, and their indentity was only established by 
recourse to Dr. Hoadley's list. 

Many of the Seymour stones were very beautiful in design, and represented 
some of the most prominent people of their day in Hartford. A table nioiuiment 
bears the name of the Hon. Thomas .Seymour, a distingui.shed lawyer, who died 
in 1767, and a slab is inscribed to the honor and memory of his grandson, "the 
brave and dashing T<ight Dragoon, Thomas Youngs Seymour, who figures prom- 
inently in 'IVumbulI's painting of Burgoyne's Surrender." His wife was Mary- 
Ann Ledyard, daughter of Col. William Ledyard. She died soon after her 
marriage and left no direct descendants. As she was a Ledyard, this .stone was 
cared for by the Led>ard Fund. 

Contributors were : 

Blair. Mrs. William (Sarah S.) Chicago, 111. 

Brooker, Hon. Charles A., ....... Ansonia, Conn. 

Bulkley, Mrs. Henr\- T. (Rebekah W. P. ), . . Southport, Conn. 

Cheney, Mrs. Louis R. (Mary \. Robinson) Hartford 

Day, Miss Alice Hooker Hartford 

Day, Miss Katharine Seymour, ....... Hartford 

Gross, Mr. Charles E Hartford 

Hinsdale, Miss Catlierine H Kenosha, Wis. 

Howe, Mrs. Win. T. (Mary Thompson) Jackson, Miss. 

Humason, Mrs. Virgil P. (Jessie Kittredge), . . Yonkers. X. Y. 

Jackson, Mrs. Joseph Cook (Katherine Perkins Day), . . New York City 

Jackson, Miss Katherine Seymour New York City 

Loomis, Mrs. -Archibald G. (Ellen Seymour Hanson ), . Hartford 

Finney, Mrs. Maria Watson, Derby, Conn. 

Robinson, Miss Eliza Trumbull Hartford 

Robinson, Hon. Henry C, Hartford 

• Son of Thomas Richards, of Weymouth, Mas.s. His sister married Deputy-Governor William Bradford. 
The coatK>r-anns is that of the family of Richards of Ka.st I)aglx>rougli. Co. Somerset : ArReiit, a fe.ss fusilly 
(Oiles. Inrtwcen two barrulets sable. 



./.\7) /•///■; \{ii-)i:.\i.\(; ()!■■ (ioi.n siNEET. 53 

Seymour, Miss Kiiiily, ......... Hartford 

Seymour, Mr. Georfje Dudley. .... New Haven, Conn. 

Seymour, Rij^ht Rev. George S., I). I)., Hisliop of Illinois, S])rin)ifieUi, 111. 

Seymour, Hon. Julius H New York City 

Seymour, Hon. Morris W., Bridgeport. Conn. 

Seyniour, Rev. StorrsO., Litchfield, Conn. 

Seymour, Prof. Thomas Day, ...... New Haven, Conn. 

Seymour, Mr. William H New York City 

Shijnnan, Mrs. N.ithaniel (Mary Robinson), ..... Hartford 

Stanley, Mrs. Frederick North ( .\lice Moore), . . New Britain, Conn. 
Talcott, Miss Mary Kingsbury. ..... Harlf<ird 

Trumbull, Miss .\nnie Hliot, ....... Hartford 

Thompson, Mrs. Hugh Miller, ...... Jackson, Miss. 

Trumbull. Mrs. J. Hammond I Sarah Robinson), .... Hartford 



SKINNER. 

P'ourtc-eu Skinut-r stones were restored and preserved. Tho.se to John .Skinner, 
died 1743, ae. 77, and wife, Rachel Pratt, died 174S, ae. 77, were done h\- descend- 
ants. The fund for this wcirk was in iliarge of: 

Stillman, Miss .Mice \V Hartford 

It is interesting to know that a i)ortion of this was from a trtist fund lett for 
care of faniil>-hurial places by Miss Stillraan's grandmother, Mrs. George Bacon 
(Mar\- Skinner), and her children, Mr. George F. Bacon, Miss Margaret A. Bacon, 
and Mrs. Amos B. Cox. 

The other .stones were done by the Ruth \\'yll\ s Chapter, atithorized by family 
connections. 

SMITH. 

Table-stone to Deacon Solomon Smith, died 1786, ae. 51, and wife, Anna, 

daughter of John and Abigail (Tibbals) Talcott, died 1784, ae. 49, done by 
descendant : 

Smith, Mr. Era.stus Hyde Peoria, 111. 

Other stones done b\- the Ruth Wylli,s Chapter. 

SPENCER. 

Two stones to Obadiah Spencer, died 1741, ae. 75, and Abigail, wife of Dis- 
brow Spencer, died 1725, ae. 46, done by relative : 

Brainard, Mr. .\ustin Hartford 

STANLEY. 

The third oldest stone in the yard is that of Henet (Benedicta) Stanley, alias 
Wolterton, died 1664. She was the wife of Thomas Stanley, grandmother of 
Nathaniel ist, and great-grandmother of Xathaniol 2d, and William. This has 
been done by the following descendant ; 

Cone, Mrs. Joseph H. (Martha Ishani) Hartford 



54 A'/:STOA'.-iT/0,V OF THE AXCIENT liUKYING-GROUND 

No family has so many memorials bearing very early dates as the Stanleys. 
Benct 1664, Hannah 16S1, Susannah 16.S3, Sarah 1680, Mary 1698, Hon. Capt. 
Caleb 171S, Calel) 2cl 1712, Hainiah iCowlesi 1689, and Sarah (Long) 1698, wives 
of Caleb ; Joseph 1675. This family was of great prominence, and from some 
contemporaneous writings it would seem their sway was so autocratic as to arouse 
considerable jealousy. 

Descendants contributed to the care of the stones, and willi the a.ssistance of 
the Ruth W'yllys Chapter all were restored and preserved. 

Contributors. 

.■\llis, Mr. .\. G. S Syracuse, N. Y. 

Bolton, Mrs. Charles E. (Sarali Kiiowk-s), Cleveland, Ohio 

Bolton, Mr. Charles Knowles, ...... Boston, Mass. 

Cooley, Dr. George Pitkin, ...... New Britain, Conn. 

Francis, Miss Marj', ......... Hartford 

Francis, Mrs. William (Mary J. Miller), Hartford 

Holbrook, Mrs. .\nna .Stanley, ..... Angel Island, Cal. 

Holcombe, Mrs. John M. {Emily S. Goodwin) Hartford 

Jackson, Mrs. Cyrus F. (Jessie H. Anthony), . Rockville, Conn. 

Jewell, Capt. Theodore F., U. S. A., . Brooklyn Navy Yard, N. Y. 

I Cives for the sake of the name ; is a descendant of the Marj-land Stanley family. ) 
McChristie, Mrs. Robert (Jessie C. Jackson), . Rockville, Conn. 

Miller, Miss Alice \V., Boston, Mass. 

Miller, Miss .-^nnie C, Boston, Ma.ss. 

Ro.se, Mrs. K. vS Candor, N. Y. 

Rumbough, Mrs. David J. (Lillie Stanley), . .■\ngel Island, Cal. 

Stanley, Gen. David Sloane, ...... Washington. D. C. 

Stanley, Lieut. David .S., Jr., . . . . Manila, Philippine Is. 

Stanley, Mr. Samuel Goodman, ..... Brooklyn, N. Y. 

William Stanley, who died 1786, ae. 63, was a man of great wealth, all of 
which he bequeathed to the South Church, after the death of his si.ster, Abigail, 
wife of Rev. Elnathaii Whitman (pastor of South Cliurch , who had the life 
use of it. 

The church erected to his memory a table-stone, and thus in epitaph recognized 
its obligations : 

"To the memory of Mr. William Stanley, who died December 31, 17S6, in the 63d year of 
his age. 

" This monument is erected by the South Society 
in Hartford as a testimony of gratitude 
for his munificent bequest by which an 
ample fund is established for the support 
of the Ministr)' of the Gospel of Je.sus Christ 
in said Society." 

For the care of this monument and that of the Rev. Klnathan Whitman, llie 
following ladies of the South Church contributed. Mrs. George F. Hills led the 
mo\ement and raised the funds : 



Bidwell, Miss Elizaljeth W. 
Bingham, Mrs. Edwin H. 
Bliss, .Mrs. Mary T. 
Catlin, Mrs, A. K. 



Cheney. Mrs. Kouis R. 
I'Oster, Mrs. Frederick R. 
Gilman, Mrs. Ellen II. 
Goodwin, Mrs. George 



AX/) Till. II //)/■: X/N(; orcoi. II STREET. 



55 



Hall, Mrs. John Meigs 
Harrington, Mrs. Henrv E. 
Hills, Mrs. (ieorge I". 
Moore, Mrs. James B. 
Morris, Mrs. John K. 
Northani, Mrs. Charles H. 



Peck. .Miss Cornelia 
Robinson, Mrs. Henry C. 
Smith, Mrs. Charles H. 
Simmer, Mrs. I-'rank C . 
Tuller, Mrs. Charles I). 



STEELE. 



Two stones to Jonathan Steele, died 1753, ae. 60, and Dorotliy Myggat, liis 
wife, died 1775, ae. 82, daughter of Joseph and Sarah ( Webster j Myggat. They 
were restored and preserved by the following descendants : 



Beach, Mr. Charles Kdward, . . . . 

Beach, Mr. Charles M 

Beach, Miss Kdith, 

Beach, Miss Frances Antoinette, 

Beach. Mr. George. ...... 

Beach, Miss Mary Elizabeth 

Beach, Mr. Thomas Belknaj), .... 
Huntington. Mrs. William W. (Harriet Bradley). 



West Hartford, Conn. 
West Hartford, Conn. 
West Hartford, Conn. 
West Hartford, Conn. 

Hartford 
West Hartford, Conn. 

Hartford 
West Hartford, Conn. 



STONE. 

A table-stone to the Rev. Samuel Stone, .second pastor of the First Church, 
who died 1663, ae. 61 . This is the second oldest monument in the yard and possesses 
singular interest. It is a fine type of the colonial style, both in the composition and 
in the lettering, and is ever an object of interest to the antiquarian as well as 
the historian and descendant. One in search of pure colonial lettering could not 
find more perfect examples. The .stone is of the smooth red sort in use here in 
the 17th and i8th centuries ; it is ver\^ enduring, vastlj- more so than the brown 
.sand.stoue which succeeded it. 

This table-stone had endured the ravages of time for a longer period than any 
other canopy memorial in the yard, and was almost perfect save for a faintness in 
the letters, which were dimming with age. These were cut a little deeper, but in 
no way changed, and the monument cleaned and waterproofed. 



AN KI'ITAI^H, ON M' SaMVEL STONE, DECEASED, y^' 61 YEARE OF HIS 
AGE, IVLV 20, 1663. 



NEWENGLANDS GI.ORV & UKR K.^UI.\NT CROWNK, 

was he who now in .softest bed ok downe 
til gloriovs resvrrection morne appeare, 
doth safely, sweetelv, sleepe in iksvs here : 
in natvre's solid art, and reasoning well, 
tis knowne, beyond compare, he did excell : 
errors corrvpt, by sinnewovs dispvte, 
he did oppvgne, and clearelv them confvte : 
above all things he christ his lord prekerd, 
Hartford ! thy richest iewel's here interd. 



56 k'/csroh'.iTfox OF /■///■; .i.\c//:\t jirh-y/xc-G/ioUNn 

Rev. .Samuel Stone left descendants only through his daughters, and it was 
most difTicult to trace them. The following contributed, and the Ruth Wyllys 
Chapter made up the halaiice : 

I'ariiliain, Mis,-; Alice Hartford 

Johnson, Mr. S. .Mbert lioonville, N.Y. 

Lee, Mr. William Wallace. .Meriden, Conn. 

McCdoU, Mrs. John J. (Eliza Sheldon Butler), .... Hartford 

Merrill, Mr. I'. J. H Albany. N. Y. 

Pelton, Mrs. William N. (Julia G. Stillman), .... Hartfortl 

Pinncy, Mrs. Maria Watson Derby. Conn. 

Rodgers. Mrs. Elizabeth S I'hiladelpliia, Pa. 

Shepard, Mrs. Celia Adelaide New Hritain, Conn. 

Shepard, Miss Celia Antoinette, New Britain, Conn. 

Slauky, Mrs. Frederick North (Alice Jloore), . . New Hritain, Conn. 

Stillman, Miss Marjorie Goodwin, Hartford 

Talcott, Jlr. George S New liritain, Conn. 

Whiliiif;, Miss Helen F. West Hartford, Conn. 

Woodford. Miss Esther B. Middlebury, Conn. 

TALCOTT. 

The hand.some table-monument to Hon. Gov. Joseph Talcott, died 1741, had 
suffered considerable decay, and the loss of two tablets, probably of lead. These 
were replaced ; the Talcott coat-of-arnis, which was formerly on one of them, was 
furnished by Miss Mary K. Talcott, and carved upon the slate tablet; upon the 
other was inscribed the epitaph, Joseph Talcott, and his wives, Abigail Clark, 
died 1704, ae. 25, and Eunice Howell, died 173K, ae. 60. There are also four 
headstones, John, died 1771, ae. 73, and wife, Abigail, died 17.S4, ae. So, Joseph, 
died 1799, ae. 62, and Mrs. Mabel (Wyllys) Talcott, wife of Samuel, died Feb. 13, 
1775, ae. 62. (Account of latter in Regent's report.) 

The following descendants and collateral relatives contributed, and the Ruth 
Wjdlys Chapter made up the balance : 

Emerson, Mrs. Ralph (Adaline Talcott) Rockford, 111. 

Mather, Mr. Horace E., Hartford 

Russell, Mr. Talcott H New Haven, I onn. 

Stanley, Mrs. Frederick North (Alice Moore), New Britain, Conn. 

Talcott, Mr. Charles Hooker Hartford 

Talcott, Mr. George S., New Britain, Conn. 

Talcott, Mr. James New York City 

Talcott, Miss Mary Kingsbury Hartford 

Talcott, Mrs. Sarah A. Hartford 

(Widow of Scth Talcott. who was a collateral descemiani i 

Tallcott. Mr. Thomas H. I.ord Glastonl)ury, Conn. 

Tern,-, Miss Harriet Wadswortli New Haven, Conn. 

Wainwright, Miss Mabel Wyllys, Hartford 

Wainwright, Mrs. W. A. M. (Helena Talcott) Hartford 

Walker, Mrs. George Leon (Amelia Lamedl Hartford 

Wells, Miss Julia Chester, New York City 

WADSWORTH. 

A ii.-iiue ])ioiiiiuently identified with Hartford is that of Wadswortli. The first 
William who came in the " Hooker Comi>any,"' 1636, was among the governing 
forces of the infant Colony, and Deputy many sessions. His son. Captain Joseph 



.■^^^D rill: \\ idemsc oi- ci>Ln stkeet. 57 

Wadsworlh, possessed a dauntless courage that on more than one occasion made 
him a conspicuous figure, and his act in hiding the Charter, so precious to the 
Connecticut Colony, has .secured to Hartford a wide celebrity as the home of the 
" Charter Oak." To neither of these early members of the family is there any 
stone exi.sting. but the following descendants contributed in their memory to the 
general fund ; 

Fraiici.s, Mis.s Marj', Hartford 

Gross, Mr. Charles E., Hartford 

Holcombe, Mr. John M., Hartford 

Johnson, Miss Klcanor, ........ Hartford 

Johnson, Mi.ss Mabul Hartford 

Seymour, Hon. Morris \V.. Bridgeport, Conn. 

Stanley, Mrs. Frederick N. (.Mice Moore), . . New Britain, Conn. 

Facing the old entrance from Main Street is a broken shall <if brown stone to 
the memory of Colonel Jeremiah Wadswcrtli, who died in 1.S04, ae. 61. lie was 
Commissary-General in the War of the Revolution, and a friend of Washington. 
His residence on Main Street (on which site the Wadsworth Athenaeum now 
stands) was renowned for its social life and hos])italily. Here George Washington 
spent a night when on his way from Phihukdijliia to Cambridge, and here, tnider 
a spreading elm in front of the house, the host met his distinguished guest. The 
one hundred and nineteenth anniversary of this occasion was celebrated by the 
Sons of the American Revolution, who placed on the tree a bronze tablet bearing 
this inscription : 

Wadsworth Klni. 

Geortje Washinj^ton 

nurin.t; His First Visit to 

Connecticut, June 29, 1775, 

While on His Way to Take Connnand of 

The Anny at Cambridge, 

Was Here Entertained by 

Captain Jeremiah Wadsworth. 



To Record the Event and HoTior His Memory 

The Connecticut Society of 

Sons of the .\mcrican Revolution 

Have Placed This 

Tablet. 

1894. 

Besides the .shaft there are several large .sarcophagi to the nitmcirx nf numbers 
of this family. These were all put in order a number of years since by descend- 
ants, but such had been the injury received from dampness in the intervening 
years, that they again required treatment to insure preservation, and the expense 
was mostly borne by the Ruth Wyllys Chapter. Contributions were received from 
the following descendants : 

Closson, Mrs. Ellen B., Orange, N. J. 

Whitney, Mrs. Henry H. (Julia W. C. Closson), . . Washington, D. C. 
Lull, Mrs. Edwin P. (Eunice G. Terry) Trenton, N- J. 



58 h'r.STOR.lT/OX <>/■' TIIE AXCIIlXr III I^yi.\c;.GROUND 

The headstone to Mre. Millicent Wadsworth, died 1790, ae. 67, wife of Captain 
Samuel, was seriously broken, and her grandson : 

Russell, Dr. Gurdon Wadsworth, Hartford 

erected in its place a memorial of slate carved in colonial fashion. This material 
he selected for its enduring qualities. 

WATSON. 

Several Watson stones were east of the Seynir)ur group and were sacrificed 
when the buildings on Main Street were erected. Several remain, among them 




Rev. Eln.lth:in Whitni.-in*s Stone helore Keslor.llion. 



John Wat.son. diud 1 795, ae. 65, and Ilaniiali I'ralt), died 1799, ae. 71. These 
were attended to bv two descendants : 



Gay, Mrs. Henry (Charlotte Wat.son), 
Pinney, Mrs. Maria Watson, . 



Winstiil. Conn. 
Derby. Conn. 



The Ruth Wyllys Chapter put all the others in perfect order. 



WHITMAN. 

A white marble obelisk to the memory of Mrs. Lucy Whitman, wife of Dr. 
William Whitman, was erected by her son, George Beach. She died 1801, ae. 32. 
The monument was repaired and preserved by her grandson, Mr. George Beach, 2d. 



Ai\'ii Till. ninr.NiNG of ao/.n street. 



59 



A stone conspicuous for its very long inscripti:)n was that to the Rev. Elnathan 
Whitman, died 1777, ae. 68, pastor of the South Church forty-five years. The 
frosts of a winter some seven or eight years past robbed it of the entire face save a 
little fragment of the long inscription. Fortunately ])hotogiaphs had been taken 
by Mr. (George Seyms the season i)revi()ns. 

The restoration was accomplished in the usual way, the pattern of the original 
as shown in the photographs being followed exactly. The ladies of the South 
Church whose n:imes are under the Nathaniel Stanley stone assumed also the 
expense of restoring and preserving this monument. 




Rev. HlnatliLin Wbitnian's Stone .iftcr Kcst<tr.ition. 



WILLIAMSON. 

Caleb Williamson, died 173S, ae. 87. and wife, Mary Cobb, died 1737, ae. 77, 
and Amia Cadwell, wife of Kbenezer, died 1750, ae. 49. 
Done bv descendant : 



(Goodwill, Mr. James J. 



Hartford 



I'^I'ITAPH. 
Here lies iiiterd ye Rody of Mrs. Mary, ye wife of Capt. Caleb 

Williamson whos Holey Sol Took its 
Flif^lit frcim Hartford To ye Heavenly Mansions on December 

the i6th, 1737, ^tatis Suae 77 years. 



6o h-/:sTORArfox or rm: axciest nrNviXG-G round 

WINCHESTER. 

One stone to Rev. Elhanaii Winchester, died 1797, ae 46, done by the Univer- 
salist Church, of which he wa.s pastor. 
Subscription raised by : 

I'owler, Miss Hmiiia {".., . Hartford 

WOODBRIDGE. 

On a brown table-.stone is an inscription to Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, pastor 
of the First Church forty-seven years, who died 1732, also one to Rev. Isaac 
Foster, who died 1682, after a pastorate over the same society of but two years. 
He left a widow, Mabel Wyllys, daughter of .Samuel Wyllys and Ruth Haynes, 
formerly wife of Rev; Daniel Russell, of Charlestown, Mass. ; she later married 
Mr. Foster's successor, Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, thus having had three hus- 
bands who were clergymen. She died 169S, aged 40, and was herself succeeded 
by a Mrs. Howell, and by Abigail Warren, widow of Richard Lord, who liecame 
the third wife of Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, and died 1754, aged 77, and lies 
buried be.side her fir.st husband, Richard Lord. This seems mostly a matrimonial 
chronicle, but such a variety of unions was not uncommon in the colonial days, 
offering complications most perplexing to the genealogist. 

This monument was cared for by descendants of Mrs. ^L^bel i Wyllys > Wood- 
bridge, by her two husbands. Rev. Daniel Russell, and Rev. Timothy Woodbridge. 

Contributors. 

Cheney, Miss Alice, So. JMaiicliester, Conn. 

Cheney, Col. Frank Woodbridgt and Family, . So. Manchester, Conn. 

(Ste WyUys list.) 

Cheney, Miss Mary, So. Manchester, Conn. 

Goodnow, Mrs. Jothani (Klizaljeth Woodbridge), . Richmond, Va. 

(A descendant of Rev, John Wuodbridj;'', brother of Rev. Timothy.) 

Seymour, Miss Emily Hartford 

Stokes, Mr. Anson Phelps, New York City 

Stokes, Miss Caroline Phelps, ...... New York City 

Stokes, Miss Olivia E. Phelps New York City 

Talcott, Miss Mary Kingsburj-, ....... Hartford 

Williams, Right Rev. John, D. 1).. Bishop of Conn.. . Middletown, Conn. 

WYLLYS. 

Strangely enough not a stone in the yard had ever borne the honored name of 
W.vllys, one so identified with the history of Hartford. From the first George 
Wyllys. who was Governor of the Colony, down through the long jieriod of one 
hundred and forty years, some one of his direct descendants filled a high official 
position. His grandson, Hezekiah, was Secretary of the Colony in 171 1 ; suc- 
ceeded by his son, George, who filled the position sixty-four years ; then again 
his place was filled by the next generation — his son, Gen. Samuel Wyllys, who 
held it until 1809. "Thus this office, so important in the history of the colony, 
was held for ninety-eight years without a break by father, son. and grandson." 

'■ It is believed," says I. W. Stuart, "that this instance of i)eri)Ltuation of high 
office in the same family for so long a term of years is without a parallel in this 
country." 

The family seemed to entertain some prejudice against mortuarj- memorials, 
and Miss Mary K. Talcott, a descendant, who has .spent much time studying the 



AND rill-: wiDENixc OF (.0/ J) STR /■:/■:/: 



61 



family, says " Pride was a distinguishing characteristic of the Wyllyses. The 
story is told that one member of the family said, in more forcible than elegant 
phrasf, that ' if the State of Connecticut could not remember the Wyllyses 
without nioiunneuts their memory might rot ! ' " 

Many of their descendants of the present day deemed it a privilege to erect a 
niLinoiial, and one which is a faithful reproduction of an impressive style used in 
the 17th century was selected as a])])ropriate, one even tlie first George himself 
might have approved : a cenotaph of brown stone with a scroll top similar in 
contour to the famous tomb of Lady Fenwick at Saybrook. (It may be interesting 
to note here that Lady Fenwick was a member of the First Church at Hartford.) 
The Wyllys coat-of-arms is on the east end, and on two sides are engraved the 
family line as arranged by Miss Talcott. 




Wvllvs Monument, ticctcvl In- Descendants. 



This monument was given by the following descendants : 

Bliss, Mr. John Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Cheney, Miss Alice So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cheney, Miss Dorothy So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cheney, Miss Eliza Tniinbnll Hartford 

Cheney, Col. Frank W., So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cheney, Major Louis Riclnnonil Hartford 

Cheney, Miss Marjorie So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cheney, Miss Mary So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cheney, Miss Ruth, So. Manchester, Conn. 

Cooley, Dr. George Pitkin, New Britain, Conn. 

Crouse, Mrs. Beecher M. (Louise S. Kuousl, . . . t'tica, X. Y. 

Cutler, Miss Charlotte Elizaheth Hartford 

Cutler, Mr. Ralph Dennis Hartford 

Cutler, Mr. Ralph \V ... Hartford 

Cutler, Miss Ruth Hinnian Hartford 

Day, Jliss .\lice Hooker Hartford 

Day, Miss Caroline V. Hartford 

Day, Mr. John C Hartford 



62 RESTORATIOX OF THE ANCIENT /SCRVIXC-aA'ai XD 

Day, Miss Katherine Seymour, Hartford 

Ganiiany, Mrs. Howard H. (Caroline Daj- Bissell), . Hartford 

Hicks. Mrs. Lewis \V. (Elizabeth Hibbard Barrett), . Hartford 

Hoppin, Mrs. J. Mason New Haven. Conn. 

Knous. Mrs. Jacob (Caroline Shultas), Hartford 

Learned. Mrs. Hcnrj- B. ( Rniily Cheney ). . New Haven, Conn. 

Moore, Miss Annie Richards, ....... Hartford 

Moore, Mrs. (">eorji;e W. ( Laura Colton ) , ...... Harlfi)rd 

Moore, Mr. James B., ......... Hartford 

Moore, Mr. James Richards, ........ Hartford 

Moore, Miss Laura Catherine, ....... Hartford 

Parker, Mrs. Lewis I). (Carrie Knous), ...... Hartford 

Quincy, Miss Mar>' Perkins, ..... New Haven, Conn. 

Seymour, Miss Emily, ......... Hartford 

Seymour, Prof. Thomas Day, ..... New Haven, Conn. 

Smith, Mr.s. Charles H. (Jane T. Hills) Hartford 

Stokes, Mr. Anson Phelps, ....... New York City 

Stokes, Miss Caroline Phelps, ...... New York City 

Stokes, Miss Olivia K. Phelps New York City 

Talcott, Miss Marj- Kinj^sburv', ....... Hartford 

Terry, Mr. John T. and Family, ...... New York City 

(St-c Hayncs list.) 

White, Mr. Charles A., New Haven. Conn. 

Dixon. Miss Elizabeth L.. and ....... Hartford 

Wellinj;, Mrs. James C. (Clementine Dixon), .... Hartford 

(In ineniorj- of Ruth Wyllys, who, as second wife of Rev. Kciward Taylor, alily reared 
both her step-children and her own. Mrs. Welling and Miss Dixon are descended from 
Rev. Edward Taylor and his first wife, Elizaljeth Kitcli.) 



Contributions in Memory of ancestors 

FOR WHOM NO STONES bfXlST. 

Bulkley, Mrs. Justus (Mary Adams,) Rye, N. V. 

(C.ives in memory of her ancestors, C.ov. John Webster, John Marsh ist, and Richard 
I,y man . ) • 

MacWhorter, Mrs. G. G. (Sarah Deborah Adams), Augusta, Ga. 

Sturges, Mrs. Henrj- C. (Sarah Adams) I'airfield, Conn. 

(Give in memor>- of their ancestors. Gov. Webster, John Marsh, and Richard Lyman. 
Descent through grandmother. Del)orah Marsh Adams.) 

Mason, Mrs. A. Livingston Newjiort, R. L 

(wished to be identified with the work, and as the tomb of her ancestor, David 
Gardiner, had been already cared for by another descendant, contributed in his memory 
to general improvement. ) 
Osborne, Mrs. H. Fairfield (Lucretia Perry), . New York City 

(Gives in memory of David Gardiner and John Marsh. I 

Pardee, Mr. E. H New York City 

(Gives in memorj' of ancestor, John Clarke.) 
Perry, Mrs. Alexander J. (Josephine Adams), . . Wa,shingtoii, I). C. 

(Gives in memon- of her ancestors. Gov. Webster, John Marsh, and Richard I.ynian.) 

Perry, Gen. Alexander J., Washington, 1). C. 

(Gives in memory of his ancestors, James Richards, David Gardiner, and William 
Gibbon.) 

lu addition to those names already recorded as contributors, it seems just to 
record those who spontaneously and generously aided in the reception to con- 
tributors on June 8, 1899, and in the celebration on Jiiiii.- 17. 



,i\/> ////■: u7/>/:y/\G ofco/./i s/r /■:/■: r. 



63 



In recognition and j^ratitudc, therefore, I place tlie following among onr list of 
contributors : 

Barrett Brothers erected a large platform, free of expense to the Chapter. 

Colt's full Brass Band under leader, Mr. Scott Snow, at celebration. 

Ivinmons's Orchestra at reception on June 8. 

J. A. McClunie. decorations. 

P. S: J. Bcsse, refreshments at reception, reduced price. 

W. II. I'ost Co., loan of ruj^s at reception. 

John Coomhs, plants. 

1). .\. Spear, flowers. 

Hurd & Mellen. 

C. B. Boardnian, carriaj.;cs furnished for parade on June 17, at reiluced price. 

Peter Lux, chairs for celebration, reduced price. 

Board of Park Commissioners, loan of grand stand for ban<l. 



In the center of the cemetery is a venerable monument erected in I1S35 to the 
memorj- of the "Founders of Hartford," and bearing the following names : 



NAMKS ON THK CKNTRAI. MONUMENT. 



John Haynes, 
Thomas Hooker, • 
George Wvllys, . 
Edward Hopkins, 
Matthew .Allyn, 
Thomas Welles,-* 
John Webster, 
William Whitiugf 
John Talcott, 
.\ndrc\v Warner, 
William Pantrcy, 
William Weslwood, 
James Olmsted, 
Thomas Hosmer, 
Nathaniel Ward, 
William Wad^worth, 
John White, 
John Sleilc. 
Thomas Scott. 
William ( Fooihvin. 
Thomas .Stanley, 
Samuel Stone, 
John Clark, 
John Crow, 
James Hnsign, 
Stephen Post, 
Stephen Hart, 
William Spencer, 
John Moody, 
William Lewis, 
William Ru.^co, 
TimoUiv Stanley, 
Richard Webb, ' 
William .Xndrews, 



Samuel Wakeman, 
Jeremy .Adams, 
Richard Lvinan, 
-William Butler, 
Thomas Lord, 
^Lltthew Marvin, 
(iregory Wolterton, 
.\ndrew Bacon. 
John Barnard. 
Kicliard ("loodman, 
Nathaniel Richards, 
J.'.hn Pratt, 
Thomas Birchwood, 
Cicorfje Graves, 
William Gibbons, 
Kdward Stebbing, 
George Steele, 
George ,St<icking. 
Joseph Mvg.ilt. 
William H!oonifield, 
William Hill, 
William Hyde, 
John .\rnolil, 
Arthur Smith. 
John Maynard, 
William Hayden, 
Thiimas .Stanton, 
John Hopkins, 
Nicholas Clark, 
John Marsh, 
H<lward Klnier, 
Richard Church, 
Zachariah IMeld, 
Joseph Kaston, 



Richard Olmsted, 
Richard Rislev, 
Robert linrtlett. 
Thomas Root, 
John Wilcox, 
Richard Seymour, 
Benjamin Burr, 
John Bidwell, 
Nathaniel ]',\y, 
Thomas Judd, 
Richard Lord, 
William Kelsey, 
-Richard Butler, 
Robert Day, 
,Seth Grant, 
Thom.is Spencer, 
John Bavsev, 
William' Prritt, 
Thomas Bull, 
William Hollon, 
Francis Andrews, 
James Cole, 
John Skinner, 
Thom.is Hale, 
.Samiu-1 Hale, 
Thomas Olcott, 
Thonuis .Selden. 
William Parker, 
Samuel Greenhill, 
Ozias Goodwin, 
Thomas Bunce, 
Clement Chaplin, 
Thomas Bliss. 



These names represent the fountain-head of most of the pure streams which 
have carried American national principles to the furthermost regions of this 
countrj-. 



64 



k'/isroA'. IT/OX (>/■ rill-: .\.\cii:.\r nrkyiycA-.RouxD 



Names on the Gravestones Standing in 1835. 



DiL'd. Age. 

A.ngnis, Marparet 1781 20 

Austin. Mary, wife of John 1753 76 

.\<laiiis. l-rtilirick 1798 I 

AnmUl. Jonathan '719 39 
.\rnoUl.Hannali. wife of Jonathan 1714 35 
.Mlyn, Hon. Col. John, Secretary 

Colony 34 years 1696 

Burr, Sarah 1750 

linrnhain. Klisha 1770 

Children of Ivlisha and Sarah Burnhain 

Hurnhain. .Sarah 1770 

liurnhani, .\bifjail 1770 

liurnhani, iMihraini '77° 

Hiirnhani. Richard 1766 

llnncc, John 1794 

lUince. Thomas 171 1 

Bunce, John 1794 

lUince, I-Uizaheth, wife of Thos, 1741 

Bunce, Joseph I750 

Hunce, Susanna 17S0 



Children of Caleb and Martha Bull. 

Bull. Martha 1759 

Bull, Oeorjie 1759 
Hull, Susannah, wife of Capt. 

Thomas 16.S0 

Bull, Rebecca, wife of Caleb, Jr. 1775 

Bull. Caleb, son of Caleb, Jr. 1775 
Bull. Jeflferson 

Bull, Jatnes, son of Frederick 1778 

Bull. Kpaphras, soTi of .\aron 1747 

Bull, Kstlur, wife of Joseph 17S3 

Bull, .Mjijjail. wife of Aaron 1758 

Bull, Deacon Daniel 1776 

Bull. Mary, wife of Daniel 1769 

Bull. Klizabeth, wife of Daniel 1775 

Bull, CatUcrine, wife of George 1800 

Bull. Marv, wife of David 1763 

Bull, Ruth, wife of Thomas 1S05 
Bull, Thomas I'arkin, son of 

Amos 1794 
Bacon, Elizabeth, wife of Andrew, 

formerly of Timothy Stanley 1678 
Bi^elow, Jonathan 1710 
Bij;elow, Timothy 1747 
Bij;elow, John 1780 
Bi);elow, Jonathan 1749 
Bifjelow, Rebecca 1754 
Biijelow, Jonathan 1779 
Bijjelow, Thomas 1767 
Bi<;clow, Jonas 1756 
Bijjelow, Levina 1756 
Bigelow, Abigail, wife of Daniel 1757 
Bigelow, Timothy 1762 
Bigelow, Haunali, wife of Tim- 
othy 1 764 
Balch, Sarah, wife of Ebenezer 1756 
Bidwell, James 1718 
Bidwell, Martha, wife of Jon'an 1735 
Bassett, FUsev, wife of John 1778 
Bassetl, Willnnytje, daughter of 

I'rederick 1777 

Barnard, Thomas 1724 

Barnard, Kbenezer 1799 

Barnard, Sarah, wife of Samuel 1776 

Butler, Jerusha 1777 

Butler, Patty, wife of Norman 1806 

Butler, Moses 1801 

Butler, Sarah, wife of Moses 1S13 



69 

53 

25 
'3 
20 
18 
44 
36 
6 

65 
72 

2.S 

9 

3 

70 

27 

6 

2 

1 8m 

15m 

42 

40 

68 

86 

55 

32 

42 

40 



76 
62 
45 
41 
75 
44 
55 
31 
4 
10 

32 
3' 

25 
29 
26 
46 
80 

12 
43 
73 
30 
61 

43 
86 
84 





Died. 


Age. 


Boardman, Daniel, sou of Oliver 


'799 


8 


Boardman. Daniel E., " 


1803 


I 


Boardman, Benjamin (Rev.), 






pastor Second Church 


1802 


7' 


Boardman, .\nna, wife of Rev. 






Benjamin 


.809 


92 


Bow, Rosaima 


1780 


24 


Benton, John, Jr. 


1790 


38 


Benton, .\ndrcw 


1683 


63 


Bliss. Davi<i 


1 791 


33 


Bliss. Wealthy, daufjhter of Isaac 


'799 


5 


Bcaucliauip. John 


1740 


88 


Beauchami), Margaret, wife of 






John 


1727 


59 


Brown, William 


1803 


39 


Brown, I'hebe 


1798 


25 


Brainard. Hezekiah 


1727 


46 


Benjamin, Charles 


1792 


7m 


BoUes, John 


'799 


1 1 


Bolles, John 


1783 


4m 


Bolles, Harris 


17S2 


2 


Breck, Helena, wife of Rev. Mr. 






Breck, formerly of Rev. Mr. 






Dorr 


'797 


78 


Brewster. .Mithca. wife of Prince 


1802 


58 


Beckwith, Ivlizabeth, wife of 






Sanuiel 


1793 


33 


Beckwith, Hart 


1790 


1 


Bradley, .-Karon 


1802 


61 


Burr, >lary, wife of Timothy 


1783 


34 


Burr. William 


1800 


53 


Burr. Millie, wife of William 


'773 




Burr, William 


1792 


20 


Burr. Thomas 


"777 


59 


Burr, Sarah, wife of Thomas 


'799 


73 


Burr, Tinuithy 


1799 


50 


Burr, .Samuel 


1792 


47 


Burr, Moses 


1792 


77 


Burr, Ivlizabeth, wife of Moses 


1796 


74 


Burr. Mary, wife of Joseph 


1796 


36 


Burr, Rcliecca 


1778 


3 


Burr, Rel)ecca 


'775 


2 


Burr, .Sidney 


'795 


2m 


Burr, William II., son of 






Timothy 


iSoo 


9ni 


Brauthwaite, Robert 


'799 


64 


Branthwaite. Ruth, wife of Robert 


"799 


61 


Babcock. John 


1796 


65 


Babcock, .Vndrew 


'799 


17 


Barlett, Isaac 


"794 


35 


Beach, Sally, daughter of Miles 


1800 


16 


Barrett, Rebecca, wife of Capt. 






Jos. 


1770 


47 


Bradley, John, son of .-Karon 


1802 


'9 


Caleb Bull's family tomb. 




Bull, ICsther, wife of Joseph 


'783 


4' 


Bull, James J. 


1 82 1 


48 


Bull, Joseph 


'797 


63 


Bull, Caleb 


1789 


72 


Bull, Martha 


1786 


62 


Cadwell. Matthew 


1719 


51 


Cadwell, Deborah, wife of 






Edward 


1772 


85 


Cadwell, Edward 


1751 


71 


Cadwell, John 


'75' 


29 


Coleman, Deborah, wife of John 


'757 


27 


Cooke, Aaron 


1725 


61 


Cooke, Martha, wife of Aaron 


1732 


65 



Died. Age. 

Cooke, Moses 1738 38 

Cooke, Joseph 1747 67 

Cooke, Mabel, wife of James 1800 38 

Cooke, Jeremiah, son of James 1799 17 

Collier.Jeniiett, wifeof Hezekiah 1806 75 
Collier, Hepzibah, wife of Heze- 

kiah 1770 57 

Collier, Grove 1768 29 

Collier, Ilczckiah 1763 56 

Collier, Thomas, Capt. 1763 54 
Colly er, Ann 

Collycr, Joseph 1738 69 

Collyer, John 1740 6 

CoUyer, Thankful, wife of Daniel 1792 85 

Coomes, Miriah 1794 9m 

Crocker, lyucy, wife of Freeman 1796 46 

Conkling, May, wife of Henjn. 1789 36 

Clark, Eunice" 1774 lO 

Clark, Daniel 1679 i6d 

Currie, James 1763 36 
Cowles, Hannah, wife of John of 

Hatfield 1683 70 

Cole, Lidiah 1683 28 

Cable, John 1798 58 

Colt, John, son of Peter 1785 8 

Church, Klizabeth, wife of Joseph 1751 26 
Caldwell, John, father of Major 

John 1758 29 
Caldwell, Mary, daughter of 

John and Hannah 1736 2 

Caldwell, Margaret 1775 1 

Caldwell. John 1777 i8m 

Caldwell, Sanmel 1782 3 

Chapman, Robert 171 1 63 

Cotton, Klizabeth, wife of Daniel 1791 49 
Cheuevard, Margaret, wife of 

John M. 1783 76 
Chenevard, Jane, daughter of 

John M. 1788 63 

Chenevard, John, Capt. 1805 72 
Chenevard, Hepzibah, wife of 

John 1774 33 

Chenevard, Michael 1801 30 

Chenevard, John Michael '735 56 

Chenevard, Mary 1774 9m 

Chenevard. William 177S i 

Chenevard, Henry 1781 lod 
Caldwell, Margaret, first wife of 

Major John 1798 40 

Caldwell. James iSoi 3 

Caldwell, James Church 1795 I 

Caldwell, Hepzibah 1795 4 

Deming, Lemuel 1724 23 

Dennison. George 1694 74 

Doolittle, Enos i8o5 56 

Doolittle, ;\senath, wife of Enos 1804 45 

Duplessy, Francis 1731 38 
Davenport, Elizabeth, wife of 

William 1697 27 
Dorr, Edward (Rev.), pastor of 

First Church 1772 50 

Day, Samuel C. 1804 31 

Day, Mary 1804 3 

Day, Mary 1798 I 

Deming, Pownal 1795 46 

Deming. Elizabeth 1793 2 

Danforth, John 1805 lom 

Danforth, Lucinda 1803 4 

Dwight, Charles 1799 6w 

Deane, Barnabas 1794 51 



OF GOLD STREET. 




65 




Died. 


Age. 


EUerv. Experience, wife of 






William 


1773 


26 


EUerv, Mary, daughter of 






William 


1 78 1 


19 


EUery, William 


1812 


72 


Ellery, John (buried .April 16, 1764). 




Ellery, Eunice, wife of John 


1800 


60 


Eddy, Susannah, wife of Charles 


1734 


27 


Edwards, Mary, wife of Richard 


'723 


62 


Edwards, Richard 


1718 


71 


Edwards, Samuel 


1732 


30 


Eggleston, Klihu 


1803 


59 


Ensign, Lucretia, wife of Thomas 


I79< 


21 


Ensign, Thomas, Jr. 


1752 


59 


Ensign, Thomas 


1759 


1 6m 


Ensign, Moses 


1751 


45 


Flagg, Samuel 


1757 


S3 


Flagg, Sarah, wife of Samuel 


1769 


64 


Flagg. Mary 


1750 


18 


Flagg, Ruth, wife of Jonathan 


1787 


42 


Fowler. Melzar 


1797 


20 


Fi.sh, Eliakini (Dr.) 


1804 


63 


Fish, Sarah, wife of Eliakim 


1803 


66 


Fish, Huldah, wife of Miller 


1806 


41 


Farnsworth, Joseph 


1741 


48 


F'arnsworth, Mary- 


1 741 


43 


Foster, Isaac iRev.), pastor 






First Church 


1682 




Foote, John 


1803 


40 


Gardiner, David, of Gardiner's 






Island 


1689 


54 


Gross, Rebecca, wife of Jonah 


1718 


32 


Goodwin, Daniel 


1772 


67 


Goodwin, Samuel 


1776 


66 


Goodwin, Mary, daughter of 






Samuel and Lodenia 


1786 


15 


Goodwin, Sarah, wife of Na- 






thaniel 


1676 


29 


Goodwin, Abigail, wife of Samuel 


1748 


32 


Goodwin. Abigail, widow of 






Captain Daniel 


1776 


73 


Goodwin, Daniel 


1790 


44 


Goodwill, Dorothy, wife of 






Lieut. Daniel 


1746 


79 


Goodwin, Sarah, wife of Na- 






thaniel 


1740 


60 


Goodwin, Nathaniel 


1746 


79 


Goodwin, Daniel 


1790 


44 


Goodwin, Hannah 


1805 


48 


Goodman, .Abigail 


1708 


29 


Goodman, Richard 


1730 


76 


Goodnuin. Richard 


1763 


58 


Goodrich, Abigail, wife of Lieut. 






Gov. Chauncey 


177S 


24 


Gardiner. William 


1766 


24 


Grimes, James 


1794 


17 


Gilbert. Jonathan. Jr. 


1 741 


40 


Gilbert. Mary, wife of Jonathan 


1700 


74 


Gilbert, Jonathan (Cornet) 


1682 


64 


Hyde, Sarah, wife of Ezra 


'799 


56 


Holtom. Joseph 


1770 


77 


Hamlin, Giles 


1712 


21 


Hosnicr, Sabra, wife of Joseph 


T789 


62 


Hosnier, Susanna, wife of 






Stephen. Jr. 


■738 


27 


Hosmer, Joseph 


1777 


72 


Hosmcr, Thomas 


1732 


57 


Hosmer, Stephen, son of Stephen 


1673 


5d 


Hosmer, Mary. dau. of Stephen 


1684 


'3 


Hosmer, Sarah, dau. of Stephen 


1685 


4 



66 



RESTORA TIO.V OF THE ANCIENT RUR YING-G ROUND 



Hosmer, Stephen (Dea. ) 

Hosmer, Frances, wife of Thomas 

Hosmer, Thomas 

Hooker, Tlioinas (Rev.), pastor 
First Church 

Hooker, Thomas (Doct.) 

Hooker, RoKcr 

Hooker, Nathaniel 

Hooker, Nathaniel 

Hooker, Marj- 

Hooker, Mary 

Hopkins, Hctsv, wife of Jesse 

Hopkins. Daniel, three infant 
chiUlren of 

Hopkins. Sally, wife of Daniel 

Hopkins, Rebecca, wife of Asa 

Hopkins, Asa 

Ho]ikiiis, l.cmuel (Doct.) 

Hart, .Mcis Ivvelyn 

Hanson, Joseph 

Hinsdale. Magdalen, wife of 
Barnabas 

Hinsdale, Barnabas 

Hinsdale, Kxperience, wife of 
.■\nios 

Hudson, Maria, wife of Henry 

Haynes, John (Hon.), first Gov- 
ernor of Connecticut 

Haynes, Joseph (Rev. ), pastor 
of First Church 

Haynes, Sarah, wife of Rev. 
Joseph 

Haynes, John 

Haynes, Mary, wife of John 

Haynes, Sarah, daughter of John 

Hubbard, Cornelia, wife of Ne- 
hemiah 

Hall, Alley, daughter of William 

Hall, Jerusha, wife of Henry 

Hastings, Jonathan, sou of Lieut. 
Josiah, of Chesterfield, N. H. 

Howard, John 

Hancock, Patty, wife of Jonathan 

Henipsted, .\nua, daughter of 
Doctor Henipsted 

Henipsted, .Anna, wife of Doctor 
Henipsted 

Henipsted, Benjamin 

Jepson, Mrs. Susanna 

Jones, Pantry 

Jones, -Vniasa 

Jones, Hope, wife of Amasa 

Jones, Nathaniel 

Jones, Rebecca, wife of Nathaniel 

Jones, Levi, blown up in school- 
house 

Jones, Daniel 

Jones, Olive, wife of Daniel 

Joy, Sarah, wife of John 

Keith, William 

Keith, Marianne, wife of William 

Knox, William 

Knowles, John 

Knowles, Rachel, wife of John 

Kilbourn, Abigail, wife of Na- 
thaniel 

Kilbouni, Samuel 

Kennedy, Leonard, Jr. 

Lyman, Thomas 

Lyman, Martha, wife of Justin 



Died. 


Age. 


1693 


49 


1675 


75 


1687 


83 


1647 


61 


1756 


64 


1698 


30 


1711 


40 


1763 


53 


1765 


65 


1763 


20 


1799 


26 


1796 


29 


1791 


29 


1805 


48 


1801 


50 


1805 


22 


1804 


33 


17S2 


42 


1725 


58 


1781 


61 


1805 


21 


1654 




1679 


38 


'705 


67 


1713 


44 


1726 


54 


1724 


27 


I781 


28 


1772 


2 


1804 


24 


179S 


30 


1804 


35 


1S03 


20 


1799 


32 


1797 


66 


1793 


I 


1772 


32 


1796 


81 


1785 


57 


1798 


63 


1773 


92 


1776 


84 


1766 


50 


1802 


46 


1788 


27 


1764 


34 


■745 


3' 


1784 


88 


1787 


55 


'754 


64 


1739 


38 


1798 


71 


1789 


17 


1796 


17m 


1727 


49 


1798 


35 



Lyman, I,orinda 

Lcdlie, Mary, wife of Hugh 

Ledyanl, Nathaniel (Dr.), blown 

up in schuolhouse 
Ledyard. .-\ustin 
Ledyard, John 
Lawrence, John, treasurer of 

Connecticut 
Lawrence, Margaret, wife of John 
Lawrence, Roderick 
Lawrence, John, Jr. 
l.awriiue, Mary .\iin 
Lawreiue. William Henry 
Lord, .\bigail. cli. of Richard 
Lord, Ricluinl, cli. of Richard 
Lord, .\bigail. ch. of Richard 
Lord, Ricliard 
Lord, Mary (alias Hooker) 
Lord, Klisiia 

Lord. Mary, dan. of John H. 
Lord, l\pnphras 
Lord, Daniel 
Lord. Daniel Ivlwards 
Lord, John Haynes 
Lord, Rachel, wife of John H. 
Lord, lUi/.abeth, wife of Klisha 
Langrell, Thomas (Doct.) 
Law, Lydia 

Leete, William, Gov. of Conn. 
Marsh, Katy, dan. of Ca])t. 

Samuel 
Merrills, Hannah 
Merrils, Mary, wife of Gideon 
Merrils, Christian, wife of Chas. 
Merrils, Martha Smith, wife of 

(jcorge 
Morrison, .Ann, wife of Normand 

and formerly of Jolui Smith 
Jlorrisoii, Roderick 
Marshall, Josiah 
Marsh, John 

Marsh, Hli/abeth, wife of John 
Marsh, Samuel 
Marsh, Catherine, wife of Capt. 

Samuel 
Morgan, Elizabeth, wife of Dwell 
Morgan, Lavinia (wives of 
Morgan, Sally 1' Elias 
McCracken, Rebecca, wife of 

John 
Mather, Elizabeth, daughter of 

Rev. AUyn 
McLean, Susan, wife of Allen 
Mills, Caroline 
Messenger, Rachel, daughter of 

Daniel 
Messenger, Lydia, daughter of 

Daniel 
Muir, William 
McLean, Allen, son of Neil 
Moore, George Smith 
Moore, Ebenezer, Jr. 
Moore, Anna 
Moore, David 
Moore, James (rrant 
Moore, Mary Smith 
Moore, Mary Smith 
Moore, Robert 
Neviiis, Robert 
Nevins, Samuel 



cliildrcii 

of 

>Khcnezcr 

and 

.\ilna 



Died 
794 
809 

766 
766 
77' 

802 
775 
783 
774 
790 

792 
698 
699 
694 
712 
702 
725 
748 
738 
762 
763 
796 
803 
786 
757 
799 
683 

768 
730 
750 

778 

793 

766 

755 
712 

744 
742 
S02 

797 
793 
792 
795 

803 

785 
741 
.S02 

737 

725 
S06 

741 
7,SS 

793 
802 
807 
807 
808 

814 
764 
76s 



Age. 

7 
79 

26 
25 

71 

84 
49 
27 
26 
25 

3 
3ni 

4 
2ni 
42 
58 
24 
ism 

7 

I 

72 
77 
32 
29 
42 



4 
49 
29 

23 

37 

64 
30 
47 
76 

72 

72 

67 
23 
18 

29 



7 
30 

2 

17 

18 
52 

3 

2 

17m 

3 

4 

6 

18 

26 

30 
50 

2 



AND THE WIDENING OF GOLD STREET. 



Nevins, Marion 

Nevins, Robert 

Nichols, Cyprian 

Nichols. Cyprian, son of William 

Nichols. Abigail, dan. of William 

Nichols, Rachel, wife of James 

Nichols, Catherine, daughter of 
Cyprian 

Ogden, Clarissa, dan. of Jacob 

Olcott, John 

Olcott, Sallv 

Olcott, Roderick 

Olcott, Jonathan 

Olcott, Sarah, wife of Jonathan 

Olcott, Samuel 

Olcott, Mary 

Olcott, Marv, wife of Capl. 

Olcott, Sally 

Olcott, Clarissa 

Pitkin, William 

Phippen, Racliael 

Pierce, Antia andSanmel, ch. of 
Pelatiah 

Pratt, Hannah, wife of Daniel 

Pratt, Zachariah 

Pratt. Timothy 

Pratt, George 

Payson, Nathan (Col.) 

Porter, John, comptroller of pub 
lie accounts 

Perkins, Mary, dau. of James 

Perkins, Lucinda 

Payne, Benjamin 

Payne, Rebecca, wife of Benj'n 

Payne, Mary .Vnn 

Phelps, Sarah 

Patten, Lucinda, wife of Na- 
thaniel 



children of 
Nathaniel 



Patten, Lucinda 

Patten, I'annv 

Patten, Sally' 

Pantry. John 

Powell, Hlizabeth, wife of Wil- 
liam 

Proctor, William 

Richards, James 

Ricliards, Thomas (Dca.) 

Ridgaw.ay, Naomi, wife of Samuel 

Robbins, Clarissa 

Strong. .\nna .Smith 

Strong, Anna McCurdy. wife of 
Rev. Nathan 

Strong. John McCurdy. son of 
Rev. Nathan 

.Smith, Daniel 

Smith, Solomon. Jr. 

Smith. Solomon (Dea.) 

Smith, .\nna, wife of Dea. Sol- 
omon 

Smith, George 

Smith, .-Knn, wife of George 

Smith, Martha 

Smith, James 

Smith, John 

Sweetlaiid, Sarah, wife of Ben- 
jamin 

Sweetland, Kleazur 

Sweetland, Polly, wifeof Eleaznr 

Sweetland, Kflingham 

Sargeant, John, son of Jacob 



Died. 
770 
780 
756 
749 
750 
789 



794 
794 
794 
«oi 

753 
776 
781 
766 
792 
779 
794 
694 



682 
805 

783 
805 

761 

.S06 
806 
805 
782 
786 

797 
7,S8 

789 
S07 
809 
810 
736 

72.S 
788 
680 
749 
773 
801 
784 

789 

S06 
890 

787 
786 

784 
808 
796 
756 
798 
801 

805 

798 
792 

1802 



Age. 

17 
21 
84 

6m 

5 
26 



15 
59 
15 
36 
57 
74 
53 
35 
61 
16 

•5 
58 



50 
79 
33 
50 
41 

48 
5 
31" 
54 
51 
36 
96 

35 
22 

15 
17 
90 

27 
23 
47 
83 
68 

22 
25 

29 

29 
29 
25 

51 

49 
82 

70 
5 
1 

9m 

33 
32 
22 
I 
II 



wife of 
of Na- 



Steel, Elizabeth, wife of George 

Steel, Ashbel 

Steel, Nabl)y, dau, of .\shbel 

Steel, Jonatiian 

.Steel, Dorothy, wife of Jonathan 

Sloan, Samuel 

Starr, Harriet 

Stone. Samuel (Rev.), pastor 

of I''irst Church 
.Shclilon, Joesph 
Sheldon. George, son of Joseph 
Sheldon. Deacon Isaac 
Sheldon, Elizabeth, wife of Isaac 
Sheldon, .\iina, wife of Isaac 
.Sheldon, Daniel 
Sheldon, I, ucretia, wifeof Daniel 
Sheldon, William, son of Daniel 
Sheldon, Isaac, son of Isaac 
She'don, Sarah, wife of Joseph 
Sheldon, Isaac 
Seymour, Israel 
Seymour, louathan 
Seymour, Thomas 
Seymour, Thomas 
Seymour, John 
Seymour, Marv .\nn, 

Thomas Y, 
Seymour, Mary, wife 

thaniel 
Seynif)ur, Zebnlon 
Seymour, Mary, wife of Thomas 
Seymour, Jenisha 
.Seymour, Mary .■Vnn 
Sej'mour, Elizabeth, 

Richard 
Seymour, Prudence, 

Frederick 
Seymour, Deliverance, 

Jared 
Seymour, Lovisa, wife of Jo- 
seph W. 
Spencer, Obadiah 
Spencer. .Abigail, wife of Disbrow 
Sanford. Huldah, wife of Robert 
Sanford, Robert 
Sanford, Zachariah. son of 

Zachariah 
Skinner. Stephen 
Skinner. Joseph 
Skinner, John 
Skinner. Mary, wife of John 
vSkinner. Mary, wife of John, Jr. 
Skinner. Rebecca, wife of Na 

thaniel 
Skinner. Leonard 
Skinner. Rachael, wife of John 
Skinner, John 
Skinner, .Sarah 
Skinner, .-Vbigail 
Skinner, .\bigail, wife of Elisha 
Skinner, Hepzebah, wife of John 
Stanley, Bennet, alias Wolter- 

ton 
Stanley, Hannah ] children 
Stanley, Susannah ■ Nathaniel 
.Stanley, Sarah I Stanley 

Stanley, Sar.-ih, wifeof Nathaniel 
Stanley, Nathaniel (one of his 

Majesty's .Assistants) 
Stanley, Joseph 



wife 
wife 
wife 



of 
of 
of 



Died. 

8co 

790 

772 

753 

775 

775 

801 

663 

794 
764 

749 
745 

802 

772 
772 
7,S8 
754 
785 
786 

784 
776 
740 
767 
748 

782 

758 
765 
746 

753 
766 

759 

799 

799 

798 
741 
725 
759 
728 

6S3 
758 
748 
773 
771 
772 

780 
746 
748 
743 
750 
750 
777 
791 

664 
681 
683 
680 
716 

712 
675 



67 

Age. 
29 

59 
14 
60 
82 

4 
iini 

61 

65 

2 

63 
53 
73 
46 
47 

5 

2 
50 
63 
49 
73 
71 
62 
84 . 



54 
65 
69 

29 
6 

44 

30 

66 

39 
75 
46 
28 
72 



43 
79 
76 
67 
42 

31 

4 

77 

77 

I 

3 
19 

54 



7 

2 

20 

76 

74 
4 



68 



RESTORATION OF THE ANCIENT BURY I. \G-(: ROUND 



Stanley, Anna, wife of Hon. Na- 
thaniel 

Stanley, Nathaniel (Hon.), treas- 
urer of Connecticut 

Stanley, Sarah K,i,.es of Caleb 
Stanley, Hannah ) 
Stanley, Caleb 
Stanley, Caleb, son of Caleb 
Stanley, Mary 

Stanley, William, gave his prop- 
erty to Second Church 
Thomas, Rachel 
Thomas, I.ydia, of Jlailborough 
Thomas, Marv 
Tiley, Walter" 

Tiley. Susanna, wife of John 
Thompson, Gideon 
Tisdale, Emily 
Talcott, Joseph (Hon.*, tiovernor 

of Connecticut, 1725-1741 
Talcotl, John, sou of the Gov- 
ernor 
Talcott, Abigail, wife of John 
Talcott, Mabel, wife of Samuel 
Talcott, Josopli, grandson of the 

Governor 
Toocker. Jlichael 
Taylor, James 
Van Nordeu, .\una, wnfeof John 

Wolterton, Gregory 

Wollerton, Susanna, wife of 
Gregory 

Wolterton, Samuel 

Wilson, Phineas 

Wilson, Mary, wife of Phineas 

Waters, Hevil 

Wattles, Jonathan S. 

Wattles, Delights. 

Webster, Sarali, wife of Robert 

Walker, Marion, wife of John 

Watson, Rbenczer 

Watson, Elizabeth, wife of Eben- 
czcr 

Whitman, Elnathan (Rev.\ pas- 
tor of Second Church 

Wilson, E;iizabeth, wife of Phin- 
eas 

Welles, Hannah 

Welles, Blackleach 

Welles, Mary 

Welles, Julia 

Welles, Hrilty, wife of .\shbel 

Wentworth, Samuel 



1752 


66 


1755 
I69.S 
1689 


73 
44 
45 


I7IS 


75 


I7I2 
1698 


37 
6 


1786 
1760 


63 
2 


I75S 
1764 


30 
34 


1 791 


9m 


1724 
1759 

1802 


43 

56 

7 



1 741 



I77I 


73 


1784 


80 


1775 


62 


1799 


62 


I80I 


18 


1772 




1799 


40 


1674 


81 


1662 


75 


1668 


7111 


1692 


64 


1688 


29 


1729 


97 


1779 


I 


1780 


9 


1725 


53 


1762 


25 


1777 


33 



1770 
1777 



28 

69 



1727 


87 


1683 


50 


1788 


64 


1795 


6 


1799 


J5 


1793 


31 


I7II 


20 



Watson, Sally, wife of John 

Watson, John 

Watson, Hannali, wife of John 

Wooilward, John 

Walker, Marian, wile of John 

White, Ivlizabeth, wife of John J. 

White, Susan S. 

Williamson, Caleb 

Williamson, Mary, wife of Caleb 

Williamson, -Anna, wife of Eben- 
ezer 

Wadsworth, Joanna, wife of 
Joseph 

Wadsworth, Daniel 

Wadsworth. William 

Wadsworth, Thomas 

Wadsworth, Daniel (Rev.), pas- 
tor Eirsl Church 

Wadsworth, .•\bigail, wife of Rev. 
Daniel 

Wadsworth, Daniel 

Wadsworth. Ruth 

W.-idsworth, Jeremiah (Col.) 

W.adsworth, Mehilabel, wife of 
Col. Jeremiah 

Wadsworth, Elizabeth » daughters 

... 1 _., T- • - ofRfv. 

\\ adsworth. Eunice, \ uaniil 
Wadsworth, Millicent, wife of 

Capt. Samuel 
Willet, Nathaniel 
Wiiuhester, Elhanan (Rev.) 
Whiting, Joseph 
Whiting, .\nna, wife of Joseph 
Whiting, Mary 
Whiting, .Vbigail 
Whiting, Calvin (Rev.) 
Wcare, Caty 
Weare, William T. 
Weare, Martha, wife of William 
Watson, Jo.seph 
Watson, Joseph 
Weeden, Mary, wife of Henry 
Wood, Lucy 
Wood, William 
Wood, Henjainin S. 
Warner, .\zubah, wife of Eli 
Way, Man,- 
Woodbridge, Timothy (Rev.), 

pastor I'ir.st Church 
Woodbridge. .\bigail, wife of 

Rev. Timothy and formerly 

of Richard Lord 
Wcstcoale, Samuel 



Died. 


Age. 


1796 


38 


1795 


66 


1799 


72 


1793 


4 


1795 


42 


1804 


29 


1804 


7 


1738 


87 


•737 


• 77 


1750 


49 


1762 


78 


1762 


42 


1771 


49 


1716 


26 


■747 


43 


■773 


67 


1750 


10 


•750 


5 


1804 


61 


1817 


82 


1810 


72 


1825 


89 


1790 


67 


1698 


80 


1797 


46^ 


1715 




1735 


82 


1714 


26 


1722 


4 . 


1795 


24 


1 791 


I 


1807 


I cm 


1795 


38 


1.S03 


29 


1S06 


3 


1803 


19 


1802 


37 


■795 


4 


1793 


I 


1774 


43 


1701 


70 



1732 



1754 

•775 



77 
26 



AX/) THE lV/f>/-:NfNG OF CO I. P STREET. 



69 



Stones Ante-dating 17oo. 



AUyn, Hon. Col. John, Secretary 
of Colony 34 years 

Bacon, lUizabcth, wife of An- 
drew, formerly of Timothy 
Stanley 

licnton, Andrew 

Hull, Susanna, wife of Capt. 
Thomas 

Clark, Daniel 

Cole, Lidiah 

Cowles, Hannah, wife of John 
of Hatfield 

Davenport, Elizabeth , wife of 
William 

Dennison, George 

Foster, Isaac (Rev.), pastor of 
First Church 

Gardiner, David, of Gardiner's 
Island 

Gilbert, Jonathan (Comet) 

Goodwin, Sarah, wife of Na- 
thaniel 

Haynes, John (Hon.^, first Gov- 
ernor of Connecticut 

Haynes, Joseph (Rev.), pastor 
of First Church 

Hooker. Rnyer 

Hooker, Thomas (Rev.), pastor 
of First Church 

Hosmer, Frances, wife of 
Thomas 

Hosmer, Mary, dan. of Stephen 

Hosmer, Sarah, dau. of Stephen 

Hosmer, Stephen (Dea.) 



Died. 


Age. 


1696 




1678 


76 


1683 


63 


1680 


7" 


1679 


i6d 


16S3 


2H 


1683 


70 


1697 


27 


1694 


74 


1682 




16S9 


54 


1682 


64 


1676 


29 


1654 




1679 


38 


1698 


30 


1647 


61 


'675 


75 


1684 


13 


1685 


4 


1693 


49 



Hosmer, Stephen, son of Stephen 

Hosmer, Thomas 

Leete, William, Governor of 

Connecticut 
Lord, .MjiHail, dau. of Richard 
Lord. .Abigail, dau. of Richard 
Lord, Ricliard. son of Richard 
Pitkin. William 
Pratt, Hannah, wife of Daniel 
Richards, James 
Sanford, Zachariah, son of 

Zachariah 
Stanley, Henedicta, alias Wol- 

terton 
Stanley, Hannah, daujjhter of 

Nathaniel 
Stanley, Hannah, wife of Caleb 
Stanley, Joseph 
Stanley, Mary 
Stanley, Sarah, daughter of 

Nathaniel 
Stanley, Sarah, wife of Caleb 
Stanley, Susannah, daughter of 

Nathaniel 
Sto!ie, Samuel (Rev.), pastor of 

First Church 
Welles, Hannah 
Willet. Nathaniel 
Wilson, Mary, wife of Phineas 
Wilson, Phineas 
Wolterton, Gregory 
Wolterton, Samuel 
Wolterton, Susanna, wife of 

Gregory 



Died. 


Age. 


■673 


5<i 


1687 


83 


1683 




1698 


3m 


1694 


2m 


1699 


4 


1694 


58 


16S2 


50 


16S0 


47 



1683 
1664 



1681 


7 


1689 


45 


1675 


4 


1698 


6 


1680 


20 


1698 


44 


1683 


2 


1663 


61 


1683 


50 


1698 


80 


1688 


29 


1692 


64 


1674 


Si 


1 668 


7ni 



1662 



75 



I 



APPEAL 



Of the Ruth Wvllvs Chapter to the Public, April 17, 1897. 



On January 25, 1.S97, the Ruth W yllys Chap- 
ter, Daujjhters of the American Revolulit>n, 
in pursuance of a plan to restore and improve 
the Ancient Cemetery, sent an appeal to the 
Common Council askinj; that Gold Street be 
widened. The Council referred the petition to 
the Street Board, who gave the matter their 
immediate attention. The members of the 
honorable Board now await further action on 
the part of the women who sent the appeal to 
the Coimcil. Our proposition is a very simple 
one and will, we trust, commend itself to the 
citizens of Hartford. 

It is this: That the property on the north 
side of (".old Street be purchased and all the 
buildings cleared away, niakinfj a spacious, 
beautiful street from Main Street to the I'ark, 
and, with the widening of Jewell and Ford 
Streets, a fine avenue on to the station from 
the center of the city. This will result in 
an open space of about 75 feet between the 
Center Church and the City Hotel, though 
the street line will be laid out at 50 feet to 
avoid encroachment on the southeastern cor- 
ner of the cemetery. This will briuj; that 
historic burying-ground, with its wealth of 
sacred and inspiring associations, into the po- 
sition of honor and prominence we so much 
desire for it. All t^.e property on the north 
side of Gold Street has been offered for sale 
to the Committee of the Street Board, which 
brings us to the vital question of raising the 
necessary money. The owners of the pro])erty 
directly benefited will, of course, be assessed 
their fair portion of the cost. Such assess- 
ments will not ])roduce the sum necessarj^ to 
purchase the buildings and land in question, 
and to meet this emergency when the city we 
love needs something it cannot well afford to 
buy, and is offered an opportunity it cannot 
afford to lose, we women of the Ruth Wyllys 
Chapter, daughters of men who so loved their 
country that they offered their lives for her 
redem])ti(m, propose to raise a sum of money 
with which we may share the city's assess- 
ment, by .Hu appeal to the citizens of Hartford 
for public contributions to a fund called the 
"Ruth Wyllys Chapter. Daugliters of the 
American Revolution, F'unil for the Improve- 
ment of the Old Burying Ground ami the 
Widening of Gold Street." The city of Hart- 
ford owns this cemetery, and as such owner 
would naturally be allotted a large assessment 
as its proportionate share of the cost. We 
wish to relieve the city of its heavy assessment 



by paying from this fund any amount beyond 
that which the Common Council can apportion 

out of its a])])ropriations. 

This city was founded by a company of men 
whose far-sighted wisdom helped to e^tiiblish 
the foundations of our present national life and 
government and whose names and achieve- 
ments command more and more the attention, 
respect, and admiration of the country. Every 
year increasing numbers of men and women, 
who glory to trace their lineage to Hartford's 
founders, come here from all parts of this 
broad land to study the record-, and learn the 
events of Hartford's history .\mong our citi- 
zens are thousands of the descendants of that 
dauntless band; will they not deem it a ])rivi- 
lege to join in an effort to redeem the earthly 
resting-place of their ancestors from its present 
ignominy? 

To the citizens without alliance to that 
sacred and ancestral dust, what does this im- 
provement me.in ? The spacious avenue lead- 
ing from Main Street to the station, fine 
buildings erected on land converted into choice 
sites, and a greatly increased tax list. The 
Ileubleins authorize us to state that they are 
readv to build an addition to their hotel ex- 
tending to Mulberry Street, making one of the 
finest hotels in New luigland atid costing at 
least $250,000, if Gold Street is widene<l, but 
not otherwise. Hartford cannot afford to let 
such an opjjortunity pass for added beauty, 
wealth, aiul convenience, and the release from 
a long re])roach of shameful neglect of her 
illustrious dead. What would the Euro])ean 
cities take for the treasures that attract the 
traveling public? Can we imagine Dresden 
without its incomparable Madonna, or Eng- 
land without its cathedrals and its holy church- 
yards ? Could Rome, Florence, Venice, and 
other cities afford to have their treasures of 
art and anti(|uities hidden in obscurity ? Hart- 
ford has a priceless gem; will she not reclaim 
it from its jjresent ignominious hiding-place, 
polish it, and give it at last, after years of in- 
sult and neglect, a beautiful and appropriate 
setting? Small sums as well as great will be 
most acceptable, as we hope that the fund may 
represent a general response of Hartford to a 
duty long delayed. Only pledges are desired, 
as for the present all contributions will be 
conditional, and, if the methods for raising 
money by a,ssessments upon the adjacent 
property fail of satisfactory adjustment, the 
public contributions will never be called for. 
Center Church people will not be expected to 
give to the general fund, as they are interested 
in a subscription of their own which is under 
the management of Mr. John C. Parsons. 



kKSTORAT/OX OF THE ANC/EXT BUKy/XC-GROCXD 





+-■ 
if) 

i 


. 


--»• • 





r - - - 




















&:::-::-.:-- 





Orti Wott 



v^ 



DIAGRAM CUT OF GOLD STREET 
As it existed before the redemption of the Ancient Cemetery, with Hnes showing; proposed improvements. 



% 






AND THE Win lis IN a OF GO J. n STRF.ET. 



73 



EXTRACTS 

From Speeches, Letters, and Press Notices. 



It seems fitting, in presenting to tlic pnblic the report of the work of the Ruth 
Wyllys Chapter in tliu restoration of the old burying-ground and the widening oi 
Gold Street, to add some of the expressions of commendation which have been 
widely bestowed. The few following extracts from the press of Hartford and else- 
where will serve to show how broad has been the sympathy in the work, and how 
generous the praise. 

MARY FRANCIS, 

Chairman Prijiting Commiltee. 



Haitford Times, January jo, iSgy. 

When the women take hold, the work 
moves. They have at last, impelled by the 
chronic do-nothing course of the city jjoveni- 
ment in regard to a really great and long 
needed reform of an eyesore in the center of 
the city, taken hold of the important matter 
of the long-discussed 1)ut never-acted-upon 
plan for the \vi<lening of ("lold Street, and 
transforming that narrow, irregular, dirty, 
and uncanny lane into a wide and attractive 
street, looking out from Main Street upon 
Bushnell Park. The plan, if favored by the 
city and duly carried out, will make of what 
is now a disgrace to Hartford one of the 
things for the city to be proud of. 

The proposed change, by opening Gold 
Street, would make one of those transfonna- 
tions in a central part of the city which would 
elicit the universal exclamation, after it was 
effected, "What a tremendous change ! How 
beautiful ! Why was it not done long l>efore ?" 

The "old Center burying-ground" still con- 
tains the graves of some of Connecticut's his- 
toric persons. The work of restoring its 
monuments is a noble one — and so is the 
necessarily involved plan of widening Gold 
Street, and making of that unsightly lane a 
wide, open, spacious street, with an ovitlook 
upon beautiful Bushnell Park. 



Hartford Post, January j<>, iSgj. 

Gold Street, so-called, as everj-body knows, 
is at present, notwithstanding its location be- 
tween two of the city's main arteries, nothing 
more or less in reality than a miserably 
squalid and narrow lane — too tortuous for use, 
and hopeless of improvement with its exist- 
ing surroundings. The old cemetery — that 
should be the most historic, inspiring, and 
sweetest spot in Hartford — is just now, by 
reason of years of neglect and isolation, almost 
a scan<lal — an unseen, unused backyard, 
flanked by a filthy side allej'. And yet tliis 



precious acre yields to none in New England 
or the United States, as the last resting-place 
of founders of the colony which gave to Con- 
necticut its cajiital, and to the world its first 
written constitution. 

Is not this movement, indeed, a rare, a 
splendid chance of combining the useful with 
the sentimental.' The money will surely 
come — we believe much of it has already been 
pledged — now that the plan is beginning to 
be generally understood and its perfect features 
appreciated. 

Few cities ever had such a chance. Think 
what a sum the western capitals would joy- 
fully give to be able to commemorate such 
facts as are here the heritage of Hartford 
alone ! Consider, also, the material improve- 
ments and their comparatively .small cost and 
large return. .And the co-operative and patri- 
otic s[)irit would here be seen at their best. 
Hartford cannot afford to ignore such a call, 
even if times are hard. 



Hartford Courant, April //, iSqy. 

The way to get a thing done is to do it 
yourself. So think the public-spirited women 
of Hartford, and, because they think so, we 
are about to be freed from the disgrace that 
Gold Street and its neglected purlieus have 
for so many years brought upon this other- 
wise beautiful and self-respecting city. 

The appeal that is printed elsewhere gives 
the facts in the case verj- fully. Gold Street 
itself has for years been one of the black spots 
in the city, dark, dirty, disreputable. Back 
of Gold Street's dirt and s(]ualor, sprinkled, 
indeed, with it, holding its garbage, airing its 
soiled clothes, the home of its cats and dogs, 
has been lying in all conceivable neglect the 
oldest bun,ing-gr<)und in the city, the resting- 
place (if they could rest there) of the remains 
of the men and women who made Hartford 
and Connecticut, an<l whose f.ar-sighted states- 
manshi]! and high Christian character have 
stamped their impress on our national govern- 



74 



k'/:STOR AT/ON OF THE ANCIENT BURYINCGROUND 



ment and life. No honor was too great to 
pay to the memory of those people who have 
mstead been actually forgotten by tlie crowds 
that surge by daily within a rod or two of 
the sacred ground. 

The plan now is to open up (iold Street, 
clean it, tear down the rookeries, bring the 
cemetery into consjiicuous view, and redeem 
alike the appearance and the reputation of 
the city. Most of the cost will be met other- 
wise, but a public subscription must defray a 
part of it. Mrs. Holcombe's apjjcal asks for 
money for this purpose, and with the recpiest 
comes the pleilge of more than <5.fHK> already 
contributed by the daughters of Kuth Wyllys 
Chapter and those whom they have consulted 
witli. Not more than J15.000 is needed in all, 
and here is more than a third of that already. 

Now for the rest. Let all Hartford take 
hold of this and complete the work that the 
women have so effectively undertaken and 
have carried so far along. "The Courant" 
will be very glad to acknowledge subscrip- 
tions for this purjiose, and every1)ody ought 
to give something. It is for all Hartford. 
No other single cause has in it so much of 
benefit for the city, or is so sure in its results 
to bring satisfaction to all concerned. Let 
the money come in freely and quickly. 



Hartford 'feli-graiii. April ig, iSgj. 

The necessity for widening Gold Street and 
tlie removal of the unsightly rookeries that de- 
face it to the north, has existed for the past 
twenty-five years. The project has been dis- 
cussed on several previous occasions, but has 
hitherto l)een side-tracked by the efforts of 
those abutting property-owners whose assess- 
ments for betterments would be comparatively 
heavy had the plan ever been pushed to the 
practical stage. 

It has remained for the women of Hart- 
ford — at least that influential and patriotic 
section of them embraced by the membershi]) 
of Ruth Wyllys Cha])ter of the Daughters of- 
the American Revolution — to evolve a feasible 
plan for the immediate accomplishment of 
this very desirable improvement, and to give 
the scheme a practical and tangible reality, by 
suggesting the modus operandi. 

The proposition is, as the energetic Regent 
of Ruth Wyllys Chajiter, Mrs. John M. Hol- 
combe, very i)ertinently points out, a most 
simple and business-like undertaking. It is 
to buy up the entire north front property and 
to establish in the place of a nasty, ill-smelling 
slum, pestilential and disease-breeding by 
reason of its present uses and conditions, a 
handsome and wholesome thoroughfare, 
which in connection with Jewell Street, the 
widening of which is also contemplated, will 
form a pleasant and desiralde route to the 
railway station and that portion of tlie city 
lying west of the bridge. 

The real incentive that lies back of this 
agitation, and one which, had it not been in- 
volved, would, perhaps, have failed to enlist 
the sympathies and active co-operation of 



Mrs. John "Hi. Holcombe and the ladies of 
Ruth Wyllys Chapter, is the redemption and 
preservation of the famous and historic "(iod's 
Acre" lying at the back of the Center Church. 
At present this peaceful and secluded resting- 
place of Hartford's earliest settlers is com- 
paratively neglected and forgotten, buried as it 
IS between the shanties of C.old Street and the 
buildings that shut it from view on its north 
and east. Part of it, despite every care and 
precaution, is made the dumping-ground of 
the denizens of Gold Street. The removal of 
the rookeries and the widening of the street 
will en.ible the congregation of Center Church 
and the city authorities to take such steps to- 
wards cleaning up and beautifying the church- 
yard that it will, in a very short time, become 
one of the most interesting and beautiful spots 
in modern Hartford. 

The place is in fact the open-air Westminster 
Abbey of Hartford. Beneath its crumbling 
tombs and consecrated soil rests the dust of 
Hartford's greatest dead — men that have 
been identified with the city's early struggles, 
whose efforts laid the foundations of that opu- 
lence and commercial prosjjerity whence we 
derive our present prestige and re])Utation. 

Viewed in this light, the noble work of Mrs. 
Holcombe and those ladies associated with 
her is reall)' a sacred trust, a jiublic and patri- 
otic obligation, which the cili/ens of to-day 
and those that are to come after them ought 
cheerfully to assume. That our leading 
people take a warm and affectionate interest 
in the burying-ground, and in the project that 
is to serve as an assistance to its preseivation, 
is amply proved by the spontaneous response 
that has been made for pecuniary aid. Others 
not so directly affected are called upon to 
exercise the pleasure and the privilege of con- 
tributing to this most worthy object. 
Subscriptions are asked, and the "Hartford 
Telegram," in conjunction with every Hart- 
ford paper, will gladly acknowledge such 
subscriptions as are sent to us, and will for- 
ward all moneys received to those having the 
funds in charge. 



Hartford Times, Af>ril 20, iSgy. 

The women of Ruth Wyllys Chapter are en- 
gaged in a work that is deserving the sympathy 
and aid of every good citizen of Hartford. It 
is to rescue from disgraceful surroundings the 
graves of the first settlers of this town — the 
honored men who endured untold sufferings, 
over two hundred and sixty years ago, to form 
a settlement and township on the Connecticut 
River. Of the de])rivatioiis and sufferings of 
those people during the winter that confronted 
them, we who are now enjoying peace, 
security, and luxury on the site selected by 
Hooker and his faithful com))anions. know 
little. But we can reasonably imagine that 
their hardships were all that human beings 
could possibly endure. How have the gener- 
ations, living here in comfort, for whose 
welfare the faithful early settlers contended 
and endured, treated the memory and the 
respect due to them ? 



AND THE WIDENING OE GOLD STREET. 



75 



Letter from H. C. Robinson, April io, iSgy. 
Dkar Mrs. Hoi.combe : 

Enclosed please find promise for contri- 
bution to y.tiir good work of love and patriot- 
ism in rcscninj; to decency and beauty the 
graves of the founders and earliest settlers, 
not only of Hartford but of Connecticut. The 
warm zeal of your Chapter and your personal 
enthusiasm in the matter put us all under 
great obligations to you. 

I trust that our city, and the old Hirst 
Church with its noble history, and the 
neighboring property-owners will make the 
success of your efforts doubly sure. 

When the sacred acres are properly restored 
and no charge of shirking expense can be laid 
to us, it seems to me that a tender of the 
guardianship to the State would be a fitting 
thing. 

They belong in a large sense to Connecticut 
as well as to Hartford, and the object lesson 
of their tender care should be imjiressed upon 
tlie mind and heart of the commonwealth. Hut 
if this is iu)t tlu>ught to be wise, the i)ro])erly 
should be delivered to the Park Commissioners 
of this city. 

I am tnily yours, 

Henrv C. Robinson. 



The work should take precedence of much 
that is being pushed forwanl with such ex- 
emplary zeal by the Street Board. 



Hartford Telegram, November 2, iSgj. 

Every citizen of Hartford, from the oldest 
resident to the very last comer intending to 
make this beautiful cit}' his home, ought to 
read the detailed statement re.garding the 
work done by the Ruth Wvllys Chapter. 
Daughters of the .American Revohition, in the 
historic old churchyard at the rear of the 
Center Church. The report, which has been 
so carefully collated by a conunittee of which 
Mrs. Julia G. Pelton is chairman, is a model 
of its kind, and speaks volumes for the intelli- 
gent research and investigation that these 
ladies have so lavishh" and ungrudgingly be- 
stowed upon its ])reparation. 

It is a truly noble aiul patriotic service that 
Ruth Wvllys Chapter is rendering to the city. 
Not onlv are they preserving to future genera- 
tions the naities and the fame of those men 
whose lives and acts laid the foundation of 
Hartford's present prosperity and importance, 
but thev are rescuing from the ruthless hand 
of iconoclastic vandals a spot which never 
ought to ha\ e been allowed to become so dis- 
figured and forgotten. 

In connection with this labor of love and 
reverence, which, though a work of public 
lienefaction to the city, has, from its very 
nature, been carried on by the private gener- 
ositv of interested descendants, is inseparably 
involved the widening and remodeling of Gold 
Street. The example set by the energetic 
daughters of Ruth Wvllys Chapter ought to 
be an inspiration and a lesson to the municipal 
authorities in whose hands, for the time be- 
ing, lies the prosecution of this public im- 
provement. In the expressive language of 
the report, Gold Street ought to be "purified." 



The Hartford Coiirant, April /j, /SgS. 

The simple statement of Mrs. Holcombe 
which we print this morning answers a good 
many inquiries as to the state of the Gold 
Street improvements. The movement h.is not 
been dropped. It is bound to go through now, 
some day. The work has been ordered, and 
the only hitch is as to the adjiistnient of the 
cost. The affair is in court, and the court 
methods contrast interestingly with the energy 
and "go" that Mrs. Holcombe put into the 
cause when it was in her hands. 



Hartford Telegram, April /,, iSgS. 

There is little doubt that this matter will 
in <lue course reach an amicable settle- 
ment, and innnediately this is agreed U])on the 
work of renu)ving the old rookeries now stand- 
in.g on Gold Street will be commenced. The 
present coiulition of the unsavory alley is a 
per])etual eyesore to all who are brought to 
that locality either by business or jileasure. 
The same energy that has prompted the ladies 
of Ruth Wyllys Chapter to take the initiative 
in this good work of improvement and ])urifi- 
cation ma)' be counted on to push the Street 
Board to activity as soon as the obstacles that 
now stand in the way are renwxed. When 
Gold Street is once opened and made what 
it ought to be — one of the finest thorough- 
fares in the city — it will stand for all time a 
noble monument to the pluck and persever- 
ance of Mrs. John M. Holcombe and her 
sisters in the patriotic Ruth Wj'llys Chapter. 



The Hartford Post, f line 29, /SgS. 

If it so happens that the present report ends 
the whole matter, the present occasion would 
be a good one for praising the work of the 
public spirited persons, bound by ancestral 
ties to the glorious past, in making possible 
this improvement in the heart of the city. 
The labor is surely that of statesmanship. 
Constructive it is, if in part destructive of 
old landmarks that have grown, like lichens, 
on older landmarks still. The beautification of 
Hartford in this particular will, if accom- 
])lishcd, be spoken of as far as the name of our 
i)eloved city is known or wherever the fame of 
Hooker and Stone is ]ireserved, whether in 
tliis country or in the fatherland of ICngland. 
.Ml honor to the Daughters of the .American 
Revolution and their kind friends ! 



/•Vow; T/te Hartford Telegram, June 14, iSgg. 

THE WORK OF WOMEN. 

The women who compose the membership 
of Ruth Wyllys Chapter, D. .A. R., whose Re- 
gent is that most accomplished and indefati- 



76 



R/:srOJiATION OF THE ANCIENT BVRYISCGROUND 



gable worker and public-spirited citizen, Mrs. 
John M. Holcombe, have brou);ht to comple- 
tion a very difficult and delicate task, and on 
Saturday next will, with fittinj; ceremonies, 
deliver to the Mayor of the city the deeds of 
tlie Gold Street ])r<)i)erty. 

The work which, after two or tliree years of 
persistent and unremitting labor, has been so 
successfully finished, h.is been a veritable labor 
of Hercules in that it has been the cleansing 
of Hartford's .Xugean stable. It has not been 
all plain sailinj; in getting possession of the 
old rookeries that so long have disgraced the 
center of our beautiful city, and were a blot 
and eyesore surrounding the Old Center 
Church and tlie historic "God's Acre" that has 
nestled forgotten and neglected in our midst. 

It is true, men helped, but it was woman's 
tact and woman's splendid executive ability 
that bore the brunt of the battle, and as of 
Dido let it be said also in this instance : dux 
hmina facti. 

To Mrs. Holcombe and her patriotic sisters 
Hartford owes a deep debt of gratitude, and 
it can take no fitter form of acknowledging 
its sincere appreciaticm of the ser\'ice rendered 
than by perpetuating the memory of those who 
have done this good deed by re-christening 
the street that has been reclaimed with a name 
that will identify the workers with the work. 
Let the dead ])ast be sufficient to take care of 
Uie honored dead ; to the living belongs the 
glory of the achievement — let them reap the 
rewards they so richly merit. With such wo- 
men to guard and befriend our institutions 
and our city's interests, how can the fame of 
Hartford and its proud emmence in State and 
countrv fail or diminish ? 



Tht- Hartford Coiiraiit, June /g, rSgg. 

The exercises Saturdaj' in the old cemetery 
were worthy of the memorable occasion which 
they marked and helped to make. To the 
eye and the ear, everj- impression was agreeable 
and gratifying. The gathering made a beauti- 
ful spectacle, and its setting in the midst of 
the rehabilitated and venerable graveyard was 
picturesque and suggestive, while the contri- 
butions by the speakers were of such sustained 
and varied interest that everj'body staid to 
the end. 

The Regent of the D. A. R. has now formally 
made over to Hartford the land on (iold Street 
purcha,sed by subscription ; and the improve- 
ment so long wished for (and so much longer 
waited for) is now one of the things that 
have been accom])lished. It was a great work, 
and, but for the persistent enthusiasm of those 
who took it up, and kept it up, it would never 
have been carried through. 

Earlier plans for the same object had failed, 
but that of Mrs. Holcombe commended itself 
at once, and within two weeks of the publica- 
tion of her appeal in "The Courant" Jio,ooo 
had been .subscribed. I'rom a generous iniblic, 
the cit}- treasurj', and by assessment upon the 
property about (80,000 has been raised. Three 



times the city government has given the project 
its unanimous indorsement, and even the 
appeals from the assessments did not prove 
serious obstacles. 

Hartford has done its duty. What remains 
is only to put the rescued grounds in order. 
.A suitable iron fence ought to be put around 
it, a row of trees should be ])lanted, and the 
restoration of the crumbling stones should be 
completed. Already 150 of them have been 
reconstructed, and the way this is done re- 
ceives universal commendation. But there 
'i''c 350 more. The names ujion them are of 
oUi Connecticut families, prominent all over 
the country ; for no other State has been .such 
a colonizer as ours, .-\bout I4.000 remains on 
hand, and the entire work will call for per- 
haps |6,ooo. There can be little doubt that 
this will readily come from those who trace 
their ancestry back to this city, and to the 
ancient cemetery that now is restored to a 
condition worthy to be the last resting-place 
of those who were buried there. 



I'o/f of Thanks of Common Council, June 2j, 
/Sgg. 
Alderman Keep offered a resolution extend- 
ing the thanks of the Court of Common Council 
to Ruth Wyllys Chapter, Daughters of the 
.■\merican Revolution, for their efforts in im- 
proving Gold .Street and renovating the ancient 
cemetery. The resolution was passed by a 
rising vote. 



Resolutions about Name by Common Council. 

' ' Whereas : The following resolutions were 
on July lo, 1899, adopted bj- the Court of 
Common Council of the city of Hartford : 

" Resolved, That, whereas it has been sug- 
gested by many citizens that the name of Gold 
Street be changed to Holcombe Place in honor 
of the Regent of Ruth Wyllys Chapter, Daugh- 
ters of the .\merican Revolution, and whereas 
Mrs. Emily S. G. Holcombe, Regent of said 
Chapter, has expressed a wish that this should 
not be done, 

" Resolved, That the naming of Gold Street 
be referred to said Ruth Wyllys Chapter with 
a request that they report to the Common 
Council their recommendation of a name for 
said street. ' ' 

" Resolved, That the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, 
D. .\. R., believe that the public improvement 
in which they have been so deeply interested 
will best be emphasized by retaining the name 
by which the passageway has so long been 
known, and they therefore recommend that 
no change be m,ide in the name. 

" Resolved. That the thanks of this Chapter 
are due and are hereby tendered to the Court 
of Common Council for their courtesy in ask- 
ing our wishes in this matter, and for their 
prompt and unvarying sup])ort, without which 
this work now so universally approved could 
never have been accomplished." 



AND THE WIDIiNING OF GOLD STKEET. 



77 



The Spirit of /6, August, rSgg. 

The work of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, I). 
A. R., of Hartford, Conn., in beautifying their 
city and preser\inx tlie cemetery fmm demo- 
lition, was of j;rand conception and most 
successful result. Let the carpinjj critic drone 
his abuse of patriotic societies in the ear of a 
citizen of Hartford, or let him compare the 
present condition of the widened street and 
well-kept park, with the squalor and neglect 
of two years ago, and. if he be a sensible man, 
his abuse will turn to praise. 

An example worthy of imitation has been 
furnished by this Chapter in the (juietness 
with which this work was done. No heralding 
by trumpets or newspapers, the Chapter went 
to work in an unassuming manner and accom- 
plished their work. Hanquets and afternoon 
teas were not needed to stimulate their zeal, 
nor did an orator with well-polished periods 
praise them. Their fini.shed work is their re- 
ward and will be their perpetual memorial 



The Hartford Courant, Xovemher /, iSgg. 

The women of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, 
D. A. R., have shown good sense in voting in 
favor of retaining the name of Gold Street for 
Gold Street. The name is there and it will do. 
It is said tliat there are gold streets in even a 
better place than Hartford. It is well to aim 
high. 



From Thomas S. Weaver, Supt. of Public 
Schools, Hartford. 

I refer briefly to the work accomplished 
by the Ruth Wyllys Chapter of Hartford. 

You are aware of the main fact that Ruth 
Wyllys Chapter has succeeded in making the 
way clear, clean, and wholesome, and opening 
to the light of publicity the ancient burying- 
ground of Hartford, where lie the bodies of 
Thomas Hooker and his band of sturdy sup- 
porters who fixed upon the nation the idea 
that government of the people shall be by the 
consent of the people : but few of you can 
know the largeness of that undertaking, the 
difficulties that were overcome at every for- 
ward step, and the untiring energy of the Re- 
gent of that Chapter, Mrs. John M. Holcombe, 
relentlessly pursuing the object she had in 
view. If any man of my knowledge in Hart- 
ford had undertaken the task, there would 
have been nothing left of him but the foot- 
prints of those who had stepped upon him. 



This Daughter of the American Revolution 
had the dynamic force of good patriotic an- 
cestors in her veins, and official boards and 
public men and court committees and obdurate 
projierty-owners all bowed to the persuasive- 
ness of Mrs. Holcombe. One of the greatest 
improvements that Hartford has known for 
years was accomplished. 



I'roin The Mail and Express, New York. 

Ruin and forgetfulness stamped the past 
when this Cha])ter of brave women, under the 
guidance of their Regent, started for what is 
now the glory of Hartford, the miracle of 
restoration. 

Hstablished in 1640, and until 1.S03 Hart- 
ford's only place of burial, where the dust of 
generations mingled with Mother liarth, the 
march of commerce and the growth of the city 
had placed almost the seal of forgetfulness on 
these silent representatives of Hartford's .start 
to its present glory. 

The burying-ground was fast becoming 
a memory, the locked gates admitted of no 
chance visitors — only tliose who came to the 
city with a fixed purpose took the trouble nec- 
essary to enter. 

Only those who, like myself, visited this 
home of the great dead in its decay, can form 
the slightest idea of the obstacles in the way 
to its restoration, the gigantic work to be done, 
the blessing that has followed every effort. 

Gold Street, a former eyesore to the city, 
is now widened and redeemed, the Chapter's 
gift to the people of Hartford on the memor- 
able Bunker Hill Day, June 17, 1S99. 



E.vtract from the Mayor's Message, /goo. 

The 17th of June, iSgg, will be remembered 
for many years to come by the people of our 
beautiful city. On that day Mrs. John M. 
Holcombe, Regent of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution, presented to His Honor 
Mayor Preston, in behalf of the city, the deeds 
of the property on the north side of (iold 
Street. What had been for the past fifty years 
a nuisance and an eyesore in the center of the 
city had been cleared away, and instead thereof 
a beautiful street appeared, opening to view 
the old cemetery where the remains of Thomas 
Hooker and the founders of Hartford slumber. 
The Putnam Phalanx, parading in full uniform 
with martial music, by their presence added 
much to the occasion. 



78 RESrORArrOt^ of the ANCfENT BURYINC-C.ROUND 



TABLET UNVEILED. 



Ruth Wyllvs Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, held a general 
meeting at the rooms of the Connecticut Historical Society, June 13, igoi, and at 
the conclusion of the session unveiled the tablet at the Haynes entrance to the 
Old Center Church Bur\ ing-ground, which has been placed there in commemora- 
tion of the Chapter's work and that of the Regent, Mrs. Holcombe, in securing the 
restoration of this ancient ground. The tablet was desigiud by J. Massey Rhind. 

After the meeting the ladies a.ssembled at the Haynes entrance to the old ceme- 
tery, on Gold Street, where the formalities of unveiling the tablet took place. 
They were conducted by Mrs. Elizabeth Rodgers Smith, the Honorar>- State 
Regent, and by the State Regent, Mrs. Sara Thompson Kinney. The exercises 
were of the simplest nature. 

Mrs. Smith made an address as follows : 

To THE Ruth Wvi.i.vs Chaptkr. I). .\. R.: 

Ladies, — I can scarcely expres,s the pleasure it jjives nie to meet you again after so many 
years of my absence from the country, and particularly to meet you upon such an occasion, 
when the Ruth Wyllj's Chapter, guided by the energy, the quick and active mind, and the 
perseverance against all obstacles, of its Regent, has done so much for the city of Hartford, and 
for the State of Connecticut — indeed, I believe there can hardl)^ be a State in our countrj- in which 
does not reside at least one person who can trace, with pride, his or her descent from one of 
the " noble anny " laid at rest in the now redeemed and purified spot which has so long been 
a blot upon civilization. I feel that those whose memories we commemorate look upon our 
proceedings this day with plea.sure like our own, and fully share in our feelings. 

When I received a letter from Washington, requesting me to form a chapter of D. \. R. in 
Hartford, I first studied the early records of Hartford for the names of those who had helped 
to make our country famous, so that I might first call their descendants to the front. When 
the little band presented itself the day our Chajjter came into existence, and I gave it a name 
honored in the city and State, we pledged ourselves to carry out the unsullied reputation of 
those who had fought and died for the country they loved, and the example they had left us. 
When 1 nominated our Regent for the office she has so nobly filled, I builded even better than 
I knew, and now I can scarcely express my pride and delight in the almost incredible success 
which has resulted from that meeting, owing to the efforts, the zeal, and per.severing energy of 
a woman to whom the whole of Hartford may say " Blessed art thou among women." I thank 
and congratulate the Regent, the Hoard of Managers, and all the ladies of the Chapter, for the 
noble work they have done, and .say, with all my heart, God bless and prosper the Ruth 
Wyllys Chapter. As He has already done, so may He ever do. 

Mrs. Sara T. Kinney of New Haven, State Regent of the D. A. R., paid the 
following tribute to the work of Ruth Wyllys Chapter : 

The last scene in a certain noble historic drama comes to its close with the unveiling of 
this memorial, which is placed here to commemorate the restoration of the " Ancient Burying- 
ground, where the founders of Hartford and the makers of the Constitution of Connecticut " 
sleep their last slee]), and to •' Honor the devotion, courage, and ability of the Regent of Ruth 
Wyllys Chapter," under whose leadership this splendid commemorative work has been 
accomplished. 

For four years this Chapter has labored diligently, enlhusia.stically, and hopefully. Its 
work has been carried on not only with great zeal, which is perhajjs a common enough attribute 
among men and women, but with such gracious tact, good judgment, and rare executive ability 



AND Till: \Vini:.\ING OF CO LP STl^liET. 79 

as to disann ])Ossible criticism from lliose who fail to comprehend that the desire of an indi- 
vidual, a society, or a community to restore the desolations of many generations indicates the 
existence of a reverential spirit which is always part and parcel of the highest civilization. 

Your splendid achievement, ladies, is not a matter for Chajiter felicitations only. The 
descendants of the founders of Hartford and the makers of the constitution of Connecticut are 
almost as numerous as the sands of the sea, and the)' are scattered broadcast throughout the land. 

Their eyes have been upon you ; they have watched the progress of your efforts, and they 
rejoice with you to-day in the knowledge that — at last — this sacred "God's Acre" has been 
restored to its original condition of quiet and stately beauty. You have builded better than you 
knew, for this commemorative work, begun in the name of the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, is now a 
part of the history of this city and of the State of Connecticut, and in a verv real .scn.se it may 
be said to belong to the nation as well, since there is not one State in the I'nion where men 
and women may not be found who can point to this ancient burying-ground and say : " My 
forefathers slee]) in that hallowed spot." 

I bring to the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, and especially to you. Madam Regent, the hearty 
congratulations of every Chapter in the State of Connecticut. Ladies, your labor of love is 
finished. 

Should you never again undertake another historical or commemorative effort, either 
great or small, your right to the honorable title of Daughters of the American Revolution will 
find its full justification here, and the .story thereof is told in the lasting bronze which we 
unveil to-day. 

This tablet has very properly been i)laced upon the outer gates that inclose and shelter this 
peaceful spot from the ebb and (low of the city's busy life and restless activities. You surely 
have good authority for so placing it. .^re we not told to " write the vision, and make it plain 
upon tables, that he may nm that readeth"? 

Wayfaring men and women, even as they run, may here read an answer to the occa- 
sional question from those who are not of the elect, and who ask, "What is this Society of 
the Daughters of the .American Revolution ? What is its laisoii d'etre .' What has been 
done by the Connecticut Daughters, and what are they doing?" The Ancient Burying- 
ground of Hartford, as we see it to-day, answers this question. 

The Chapter then adjourned to Gold Street, and the tablet, which is of bronze, 
was unveiled. It bears as an ornament, in strong relief, the spinning-wheel 
emblem of the D. A. R., and immediately beneath is this inscription : 

1640 

Ruth Wyllys Chapter 

of the 

Daughters of the .-Vmerican Revolution 

erects this tablet 

To Commemorate the Restoration of the 

.■\ncient Burying Ground 

Where Rest the Remains of 

The Founders of Hartford, and the 

Makers of the Con.stitution of Connecticut 

and to honor 

The Devotion, Courage, and Ability of 

the Regent of the Chapter 

Mrs. Emily Seymour Goodwin Holcombe 

under whose leadership the 

Unworthy Surroundings Have Been RetiKJved 

and both the Burial Place 

and Gold Street 

Transfoniied 

1900 



WAY 29 wo; 



I "08 



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1636 ■ 1899 



RESTORATION 



OF THE 



ANCIENT 
BURYING-GROUND 



OF HARTFORD 



AND THE 



WIDENING OF 
GOLD STREET 



BY THE 



RUTH WYLLYS CHAPTER 
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 



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